I Thought You Hated Me
by MostObsesiveFangirlEver
Summary: -"I will never be in a relationship with you, Four" I say "Why?" He asks and gets his face closer to mine "Because you are an idiot" I say in a neutral tone, not showing how nervous I feel. "An idiot would do this?" He asks. After that he kisses me and since I am an idiot too I kiss him back.- READ! You won't regret it ;)
1. Chapter 1: Somebody Please Shoot Me

**I THOUGHT YOU HATED ME?**

* * *

 _Monday 24th August 2015_

* * *

" _ **Chapter one: Somebody please shoot me. Please."**_

* * *

I look at the clock and sigh. It has just passed one minute since the last time I looked it. My clock reads the same time than the clock in the wall what confirms my suspicions about this classroom and its teacher.

She has discovered a way to make time go slower when I am in her class.

I knew she hated me, but not enough for doing the kind of thing. How does she dares to play with the cosmos and the _time?_ Maybe it's just me who hates the…

English class.

Or as I prefer to call it _'The most boring class anyone could have ever thought of'._

But don't get me wrong, is not that I dislike English. Coming to it, I love English and all languages. In fact, I would like to be a writer someday, I love letters, words and sentences. So that said, I don't dislike English, I just hate the person who teaches it. Her name is Jeanine Matthew and she finds amusing making fun of me, just like everyone else. I still don't get why me. I am not that bad, there are people worse than me, but okay, I guess some things in life are meant to be. She dislikes me since the moment I got in the classroom, I still remember her grey eyes glaring at me as if I was a piece of shit. And hey, maybe I am one.

I look at my watch and see there's just five minutes left of class.

I sigh.

"So, since school just started a week ago, it's time for you to start your first English project" She says with a smile.

And I also hate how she always starts her shitty speeches, like if she has great news but she is really going to throw the worst thing you could think of at you. I still don't know why I am here. Maybe I should have failed my English test on purpose so they didn't send me to advanced English. I start taping the floor quickly with my combat boot, impatient for the class to finish.

"You'll have to play and record in pairs five scenes of the classic book I will assign to you" She finishes

Everybody whines.

Times like these I regret being smart enough to be in Advanced English.

Wait no, I regret it all the days I sit here.

"Don't whine people. It'll be amazing." She says

"No it won't" I say under my breath.

"You despise her don't you?" Asks Caleb, my brother who is sitting right beside me.

"Of course I do. I know that she is your favorite teacher and all but I hate her." I whisper back.

He just shrugs.

"Can we select our couple?" Asks Nita looking from the corner of her eye to Four.

I look at her. I didn't know she was after him.

"No you can't. I'll pair all of you by myself." She says and then she starts writing the names of all the girls in the class down in the board. Mine is the last one. _Great! I'll be the last one to find out who is her partner. Isn't that awesome?_ I'm almost sure she did that on purpose. Then next to the girls' names, she starts writing a pair for each girl. _Zeke, Gabe, Will, Eric…_ I notice she hasn't wrote Four's name, and I start to get nervous when she gets close to my name and hasn't written yet. _Collin, Peter, Caleb…_ She keeps writings name, but once again none of them is Four's. And then, despite I already knew who was she pairing me with, I gape at the board when she writes _Four_ next to my name.

I can't believe I am paired with Four.

When I was a little kid my mom used to say that I could have anything I thought of. She really said anything… She said that I just have to think it with enough force for it to happen, but she also said that I should be careful, because I would have anything I thought of. Bad things included. And now after seven years since she said that wise words to me I actually believe her. I have thought so much in Four since she mentioned pairs. I swear I did. All I could think of is how much I wanted _**not**_ to be with Four! Guess what? I thought about it so much, that I got exactly other thing of what I wanted. I swear I'll hear mom the next time she tells me something like this. I swear. Why I don't want to be with Four? Well, it's because Four and I hate each other since the day we met. He is an ass that enjoys playing with the girls' feelings, and I am a girl that doesn't like to be played with. So yeah, we don't get along.

"What?! I won't be doing any project with Prior!" Yells Four.

 _Ha! Seems like someone isn't very happy either._

"Well, it's your lose not mine. You'll be the one with and _F_ on your expedient" Ms. Matthews says. Then she writes the classic novel each pair will do, next to the name of both.

Ours is Pride and Prejudice.

 _Perfect!_

Four hits the table and looks at me. Or I so I think because I refuse to give him the satisfaction of me looking at him, so I can't really tell.

The bell rings and everyone runs out except me.

Well, except me, Caleb and Four.

Well, at least I got Caleb.

I glare at Four and he glares at me from where he is. I feel Caleb gaze on me and he clears his throat.

"Well, I guess I'll get going" he says.

Now I glare at Caleb.

He walks out of the room like he is scared and maybe he is.

 _Why didn't you just shoot me, brother? Seriously._

Four walks toward me and stands in front of my table, glaring down at me while I glare up back at him.

"I hate you" he says.

"Good. The feeling flows both ways." I say and fake smile.

"How can you be a bitch all of the time?" He asks.

I smile.

"Oh, I just had the best teacher." I say "You"

"I thought hate didn't exist until I met you"

"I thought all the people had brains until I met you"

"I thought all the girls had boobs until I met you"

"And I thought all the men had balls until I met you" I say "You're such a coward Eaton"

"You're such a forever alone, Prior" He says and laughs. "You should say yes to that guy Al, I think he is the only thing that can stop you from being a crazy old women with twenty cats in her house"

I know that isn't true but I don't say nothing.

I just shrug.

"At least I won't be an old man paying to young women so he can get laid."

He narrows his eyes at me.

"I hate you." He says.

"Good the feeling flows both ways" I say

"We are doing the project in my house" He says rolling his eyes "I have a camera that we can work with, but you have to get someone who can record the video. I am already doing a lot letting you go in my house"

"Whatever you say." I say and get my books before walking toward the cafeteria.

I sigh.

 _God, sometimes I just really hate my life._

* * *

"How was English?" Uriah asks while putting his arms around my shoulders.

I scoff.

"Awful as always, but this time it definitely got the award to the _worst class ever_ " I tell him looking up to him.

"Really? Why's that?" He asks, removing a strand of my blonde hair and placing it behind my ear.

"Well, I just got paired with your brother's best friend" I say

"Well, it isn't that bad." He says "You can do a part of the project and he the other so you don't have to talk to each other"

"I wish I could do that" I say "But the thing, is that the project consists in recording scenes of classic romantic novels"

His eyes go wide.

"You won't kiss him, right?" He asks.

I laugh.

"Why do you ask? Are you really jealous of someone like him?" I ask him, placing my arms around his neck.

Before you ask, _yes,_ I am dating Uriah Pedrad. And believe it or not, he is the best boyfriend ever. He had been my best friend since elementary school and we started dating in high school, when he asked me in a game of truth or dare game that took place in his house after a party. He was funny most of the time when we were around other, but I didn't liked him because his popularity or his funny spirit, but because he was always positive, and confident to do new things. Also he always supports me, no matter what. Even when I do mistakes. He always is there for me, not just like a boyfriend but like a friend. I feel comfortable whit him and I could tell him whatever he asked. I don't have secrets for him.

He puts his arms around my waist and gives a step closer.

"Well, kind of. I know you hate him," he says "but I heard he is a great kisser and I am afraid he gets to you like he gets to every girl"

I laugh.

"Don't worry." I tell him "That won't happen ever. Like you said, we hate each other"

"Hm… that doesn't seems very believable to me" He says smiling. "You'll have to show me you'll stay some other way"

I roll my eyes.

"And how would that be?" I ask him, starting to get up in my tiptoes.

"I don't know, what about a kiss?" He asks, nearing his face inches from mine.

"Well… maybe I can give you a kiss…" I say and I get closer to him so we can-

"Awww… look at the love birds" Says a sickly familiar voice behind me. "I didn't know you were dating. I thought you were alone like you are meant to be, Tris"

I get on my feet again and turn around, still holding Uriah's hand.

"What? Are you jealous because you haven't got a girlfriend yet, Four?" I ask.

Behind him are standing his group of friends. Lauren, Nita, Molly, Peter, Drew, Shauna and Zeke. If you ask me I don't know what are Zeke and Shauna doing there. I have known Zeke since I met Uriah, and I met Shauna when she started dating Zeke. They are both amazing and incredible kind, all the opposite from four who is a jerk to everyone. I look at Zeke and Shauna, who stay in the back of the group, like if they were ashamed of being here with them. I don't blame them for not defending me or Uriah. I know how Four gets and most people doesn't like to be on his bad side. Even if that means giving the back to your friends. Well, I said most people, but I am not one of those. That's why he hates me.

He rolls his eyes.

"I could have any girl I wanted." He says.

This time I roll mine.

"I don't doubt that, what I doubt is that you can actually commit to her for more than one week."

He scoffs.

"Of course I could do that. Is just that I don't want to" He says.

"Oh God, you are such a spoiled kid." I say and pinch the bridge on my nose.

"What? Jealous because I have parents that actually love me?" He asks.

I look at him and drop Uriah hand before starting to walk toward him but then a pair of hands hold me by my waist and make me walk back.

"Leave her alone, Four." Uriah says still holding me. "You don't have to be like this"

"Oh God" Says Four. "Do you actually have the smallest positive feeling towards that thing? Oh forget it, I get it know, you pity her"

"No I don't pity her. I just love her." He says "And she isn't a thing. She is a person, you know."

"Yeah right. Whatever you say" He says "Well, have fun. I'm sorry I interrupted your cheesy lovebirds' moment"

He looks pissed. Like if what Uriah said actually made him mad. He is frowning and isn't amused at all as he usually is when he bothers me.

I turn around to Uriah.

"Thank you, but I really wanted to punch his face" I tell him.

"I don't really know why he is like that to you." Uriah says "Of course he is smug, but he isn't that mean to the others."

"Well, I gues he doesn't like to be disliked. And I dislike him" I say shrugging.

"Well, never mind him. We should get going to eat" He says and grabs my hand while we walk towards the cafeteria.

* * *

"I can't believe he didn't knew you guys were dating" Christina says. "It's way too obvious. You always hold hands, you kiss in the hallways, and you sit next to each other in class… It's impossible not to notice"

I shrug

"I guess he really doesn't pay attention to me" I say. "Also, is not his business."

"You're right" Uriah says "It isn't"

I smile at him.

We are sitting with our usual group of friends. Marlene, Lynn, Will, Christina, Uriah, Al and me. Marlene and Uriah were friends before I met Uriah, and when I met him he introduced me to Marlene. One year after we met Lynn and Christina, and we met Will in middle school when he started dating Christina. Al got included in our group of friends because he was Will's best friend. We are legendary friends, the ones who never fight and are always there for each other. I know it sounds cheesy but it's true. Lynn and Marlene are best friends just like me and Christina. Uriah is dating me, and Christina is dating Will. Will and Al are best friends, and Uriah loves Marlene and Lynn like his sisters. We are tied up somehow and I doubt that ever changes.

"So, who are you paired with, Will?" I ask him. "You know in the project."

Will, Peter, Caleb and I were the only sophomores in advanced English. I was the only younger girl, so all of them were probably paired up with senior girls.

"I am paired with Molly" he says sighing.

"You are paired with that whore?" Christina asks-yells. But anyone looks at her since there's a lot of noise in the cafeteria for someone to hear her.

"Well, yeah." Will says. "But if you feel insecure you can come when we record the scenes. You can help us"

Christina nods.

"I will but not because I feel jealous about the bitch, but just because I want to help" She says and everyone laughs.

When I could forget about Four and all his bullshit, my life was amazing.

And I loved it.

* * *

 **So this is the first chapter! The next ones will be a lot longer, just warning you. And before you start to whine, this is not and Uriah/Tris story. Well… it's not supposed to be and Uriah/Tris story, it is supposed to be a FourTris story. But if at the end when she has to decide I feel like choosing Uriah I will, so be ready to expect anything. But yes, eventually Tris and Four will fall in love. I just don't assure you they'll have their happy ever after.**

 **REVIEW. It motivates me (us) to WRITE.**


	2. Chapter 2: Maybe Not So Bad

**I THOUGHT YOU HATED ME**

* * *

 _Wednesday 26th August 2015_

* * *

 _ **Chapter two: Maybe not so bad…**_

 _ **if you don't count the time he tied me up to a chair.**_

* * *

I look at my reflection in the mirror of the school bathroom.

I'm dressed with a sky blue sleeveless shirt below my black jacket, jeans and combat boots. My hair is tucked with pins in the back of my head with pins, making the illusion of a bun, some blonde strands have got out of it though. I don't have any make-up on. I rarely use any. Now I notice that maybe Four is right. Maybe I am not pretty, or smart, or brave or anything that someone could actually appreciate. I know Uriah doesn't think the same, but he is just one person. Four and his group are six, and I'm positive all the school agrees with them. Not that I am surprised. I always knew I wasn't someone noticeable or pretty, but sometimes I'd like to think I am.

Well, but I'm not.

I wash my hands and put some of the rebel strands of my hair behind my ear, so I don't look that bad. I dry my hands in my jeans, leaving the spots where my hands were a little wet, forming a darker blue spot on my jean with my hand shape.

I sigh and walk out the bathroom, and then I head to-

"Hi, Beatrice"

I sigh again, this time annoyed.

"What do you want Nita?" I ask her, while crossing my arms over my chest. "I don't really have time for your dramas"

"Oh, don't worry it won't take a lot" She says taking one step closer to me, making me stretch my neck so I can look her up in the eyes.

Nita and I know each other long ago, I still remember the day I met her though. She was in the same middle school as Uriah, my friends and me, and it was in sixth grade when I first met her. She had most of her classes with me, and for some reason I hated her since the moment I saw her. I could tell she hated me too because she would glare at me in class, and I would hold her gaze. Those were almost infinite glare contests, but what surprised me most was that the first time I talked to her she acted very kindly. We knew we hated each other, so I didn't know why she was even trying to be kind. The thing is that Nita is a dark crow disguised from a white and lovely dove. Not a lot of people can tell, but I did. Maybe I'm not Candor, but I'm good at reading people.

"I know you are paired up with Four" She says, looking down at me as if I was the worst person she had ever seen.

"Well, is not a secret" I say matter of fact.

"You know what I mean, Beatrice" She says rolling her eyes. She knows I hate that name, she knows it better than anyone, and she always uses it against me. I hate her so much, that I don't know if I just don't like my name, or if I don't like it because she is the only one besides my family that calls me that.

"You're wrong as always." I tell her "Because I really don't know what you mean"

"I'm saying I don't want you close to Four" She says quietly.

"Well, I didn't want to be paired with him but you see, life is unfair" I say shrugging.

"I think you got me wrong" She says smiling a little "I don't want you close to him. And I will make sure you don't get close to him. I assure you"

"It's a shame because we have to do a project, and we have to be in the same room to do that."

"I didn't meant it like that. I know I can't stop that, but I won't let you blind him like you do to everyone" She says angry.

"Blind him?" I ask "What do you mean?"

"Blind him! Like you blind everyone!" She says desperately. "Like you blinded Uriah and your group of friends, like you blind the people so they follow you. I won't let you blind him and make him fall in love with you. He is mine, and you are not taking him away from me"

Suddenly I feel bad for her. I'm not scared, I just suddenly feel sad. I can't believe Nita thinks that I'm charming or a leader, because I am not. But somehow I have real friends, and I get the feeling that's something she doesn't have. Maybe that's why she has always hated me, because I have something she wants. And instead of feeling smug I feel pity. She thinks I am a threat to her, to her dreams, and even if she is hell wrong I don't want to make her think I want to take Four away from her.

"Don't worry, Nita" I say now calmly, and soft. "I won't do that. I have no interest in him, and I swear I will not do anything to take him away from you. I even swear that if I can I will tell him you're a great girl"

Her eyes sparkle and then she steps back.

"Um… Thank you." She says "I appreciate it" And then as fast as she appeared she runs out of the bathroom in her high heels, with a fast _click clack click clack_ chasing her down the hallway.

Sometimes I wonder how I manage to get into this many different problems in a day.

I walk out of the bathroom just to hear the ring bell and seeing all the student running out their classrooms, happy because the end of the school.

I walk toward my locker and get put most of my books in it, then I walk toward the parking lot where some students are already in, chatting and talking and everything. I see Four next to his car talking to _guess who?_ Nita. She is talking very happily and fast to him, like a child talking about what he got in Christmas. He barely looks at her. He is too occupied texting someone, but Nita doesn't seems to care.

When Nita says bye and walks away I approach him.

"Hey, Four." I say and he immediately turns around surprised.

He hides it quickly and huffs.

"Oh, it's you Prior." He says and turns to his phone again. "What do you want?"

"I want to know when we are starting the project. We just got three weeks. And we have a lot to work in"I tell him, ignoring that he isn't even looking at me.

He puts on his smug smile as the last word leaves my mouth.

"Wow, someone seems eager to start the project." He says and surprisingly he looks at me "Why it's that?"

"Well, I want to get rid of you as fast possible" I tell him and it's completely truth. The faster we finish, the less time I have to hang out with him.

"Really? Am I that bad?" He asks, with some sincerity in his voice but still with the mocking tone he always uses on me.

"Yes. Yes, you are" I answer pinching the bridge of my nose. "Now can you please answer me?"

He leans in his car, and puts both of his elbows in it, supporting himself.

Since he doesn't say anything I start with options.

"Well, I am free most part of the week, but the Tuesday and Thursday I am busy all the aftern-"

"Can't we start today? I don't have anything better to do" He says shrugging.

I roll my eyes.

"Have you at least read the book, number boy?" I ask him annoyed at his lack of thought.

He winks at me.

"You'd be surprised at how amazing I am" He says and gets in the car. Then he gets his head out of the window and asks "Are you coming, shorty?"

Sometimes I wonder who is moodier. Four, or me when I get my period.

I sigh and get in the car.

* * *

We have been riding for five minutes without saying anything. Truth to be told, is a comfortable silence. I think both of us prefer to be in silence than talking and that's what makes it comfortable. The relief of don't having to talk to each other.

Then Four's hand turn on the radio and Titanium starts playing.

" _You shout it out"_ I sing along _"But I can't hear a word you say. You're talking loud, not saying much."_

I wonder if he turned on the radio because he was uncomfortable. I was comfortable because I like silence. I am not a very outgoing person so I am used to silence and calmness but it never really occurred to me that he maybe could feel strange with it. I am not surprised though. He is popular, and he is used to being the center of attention, to always having someone to talk to, even in class. He is used to be the king of everything, and I guess Kings aren't the silence type.

" _I'm bulletproof, nothing to lose… Fire away, fire away."_ I continue _"Ricochet, you take your aim. Fire away, fire away. Shoot me-"_

Four turn off the radio and keeps driving without even looking at me.

I stop looking at the window and turn to him.

"Excuse me, I was hearing that" I say

"You were hurting my ears" He answers coldly.

"I have the right to sing whatever I want" I say crossing my arms. _And please, I don't sing_ _ **that**_ _bad._

"Well, you can sing whatever you want but make sure you are not near of me when you do" He says.

"I don't sing that bad. You are overacting" I say crossing my arms over my chest.

"I didn't say you sing bad, I just said you were hurting my ears." He says "Your voice hurts my ears, no matter if it sings good or bad"

I huff. I don't know if feel offended or thankful that he didn't say I sing bad.

"Why are you such an ass?" I ask him, turning to the window again.

"Everyone has to excel in something." I can almost hear the smile in his voice when he talks.

"Well, let me tell you." I say "You are doing an amazing job."

"I know" He says

We arrive at his house. Is pretty big for himself and his family but I don't dare to say anything. Who am I to judge?

We walk toward the entrance of his house and he open the door with his key. He opens the door for me and I am so surprised I need thirty seconds to process what he just did before walking in the house. When I do, I look around. It's a beautiful decorated house, with a colors harmony, like if it was some picture instead of a real house. I wonder who did the design for the house. Was it his mother or his father? Did he like it? Did he appreciated it as much as I did? Or was he already used to beauty?

"Nice house" It's all I say, still looking around.

"Thank you." He says "There's no one home, so we go upstairs and work in my room or we can stay here in the living room. But I'll have to bring my laptop."

I am not really hearing him. My mind is still processing the part of _There's no one home._ Not that I care, I know that there's nothing between he and I, but still I feel kind of sad for him, having to stay alone in a house this big. It's probably very depressing being this lonely. Now I understand why he wanted to start the project today so badly. Maybe he just wants some company.

"I think we should work here" I tell him. "Also, I have to call my mom to tell her I'll get home later." I say while I start looking for my phone in my messenger bag.

"Awww, how old are you, nine?" He asks "Do you still call your mom when you're getting home late?"

I glare at him.

"Yeah, unlike guys like you I care about my family" I say and get my phone out of my bag.

 **(Guys, if you haven't read Pride and Prejudice I'll give you a small spoiler so you get what the project is about. Pride and Prejudice is a novel where a rich man start falling secretly in love with a low caste girl; Elizabeth. She hates him though, and when he confesses his love and asks her to marry him she refuses and tells him, he is the last man she would dream of marrying, because she heard him saying she wasn't good enough in a party at the beginning of the story. Then the rich man (Darcy) shows her she was wrong about him and makes her fall in love with him. Happy ever after! So here you have you can keep on reading)**

When we are both settled in the sofa we start the conversation about the project. We first talk about the novel, and I can't help but notice that the beginning of the story is very similar to our _hate relationship._ Four has never mentioned I have nice eyes though, but he has mentioned I am not good enough and that kind of things. If we focus on the hate parts maybe it won't be this difficult to make the project.

"You see, here the characters hate each other" I tell him, pointing to the part of the book that it's on the computer screen. "If we do the scenes where they fight or they glare at each other maybe we can do this without having to act like a couple"

He looks at me.

"Never knew you were clever, Trissy" He says and opens a document on word.

We decide we'll do the next scenes: 1; where Darcy proposes and Elizabeth refuses to marry him and they fight. 2; When Elizabeth is walking around the room and she is daring to Darcy. 3; When she is playing piano and Darcy's aunt corrects her. 4; When they discuss how the perfect woman is and 5; when Darcy and Elizabeth dance together against Elizabeth's will. We quickly finish the dialogue between the characters and soon have the screenplay for the five scenes will be doing. We are discussing over the scenario, the clothes and who will help us recording when we see a lightning in the grey sky of Chicago.

The rain starts falling like an ocean and I hear the drops quickly falling in the roof of Four's house.

"Oh God" I say and run toward the window. There is an awful storm outside, the streets are starting to look like small rivers and the plants and small trees are moving like crazies because of the wind. "How am I going to go back to my house?"

"Well, I don't think you'll find an answer to your question very soon" He says standing beside me. "Because I can't take you to your house until the storm calms down."

Now I look at him and realize is the longest time we have hang out without fighting.

"I thought Four was all mighty and powerful" I say mocking his tone when I say _mighty and powerful._ "Can't he drive in the rain too?"

"No he can't" He says "The sugar tend to melt with the water"

I roll my eyes.

"Well" I say "Seems like we'll be stuck here one hour or two. What are we supposed to do?"

He smiles.

"Oh, come with me"

* * *

The next thing I know is I am tied with grey tape at one of the Four's dining table chairs. He has covered my mouth and he has tied my arms and legs.

"Wasdbointoddis?" I try my best effort to ask him. _What's the point of this?_

"Well, my dear Tris" He says with a camera in his hands "The point of this is that you'll try to get out of the tape tramp in less than four minutes. If you can't I'll get you out still tied to the chair, and I don't care if you get a cold"

I glare at him.

"Do you have something else to say?" He asks.

I nod and he gets the grey tape out of my mouth.

"Why don't you use a condom in the top of your head? If you are going to act like a dick you might dress like one t-"

He puts the tape on my mouth again.

"Okay so, one" he starts "two…

THREE"

I think about my decision for five seconds. If I refuse to do what he wants me to he may get me out on the rain and I'd had to walk to my house alone, at seven o'clock in the middle of a storm which I don't want. If I do what he wants I may lose my dignity if I don't achieve it, but if I do it he'll lose his.

I don't think any second more.

I lick the tape and make it fall using my tongue. Once my mouth is free I start ripping the tape that is around my arms with my mouth and once my shoulders are free I manage to get my arms free too with the help of my mouth. My hands are finally frees and I start to desperately get the tape off my waist and hips. I hear Four starting to count down from ten and I make my best effort to get off the tape that is around my knees and my calves, keeping me tied up to the legs of the chair. I finish when Four is in the number six and I scream with happiness when I finally get free.

Four is gaping at me while he is still recording.

"Amazing, you even got over my record." He says. "You took three minutes and fifty four seconds. I took three minutes and fifty six second before I got completely free."

"Now is my turn to select what we are doing." I tell him while I get a marker out of my backpack. "You're going to let me write whatever I want in your arms."

Four eyes go wide.

"No way I'm letting you do that" He says.

I do puppy eyes and put while putting my hands together as if I was praying. His gaze softness and he sighs.

"Just don't write anything inappropriate, Prior" He says. And gives me his arms.

I clap like a child in Christmas. I can't actually believe that Four is letting me draw in his arm.

I draw some flower in him. The flower by themselves are cute, but drew in his arms muscles they look a little out of place. I ignore it and keep drawing. Four doesn't even bother to look at what I'm drawing he just look to some point in the room.

"You know, you are not that bad to hang out with" I say while I write a dialogue in his arm; _I'm a ninja._ I write with a font type, and the next with another completely different. _**No you're not.**_ _Of course I am. Did you see me do that?_ _ **Do what?**_ _Exactly._ In fact is a conversation I had with Uriah long ago, when we were in eighth grade. I still laugh when I remember it.

"I know." He says smiling. "I am amazing right?"

"You just ruined it." I say "I even was starting to considerate you a person."

He looks at me with narrowed eyes.

"You're evil"

I ignore him and write _You never know what you have… until you clean your room._ Then I keep on drawing flower and princes crowns.

"So…" I start "As an outsider… what do you think of the human race?"

He laughs.

"I think it's pretty good. But there´s this kind of people (the ones that write girly things in your arm, you know) that makes me doubt if the human race is actually a good thing"

I punch his arm.

"Yeah, I know right" I say ignoring his sarcasm. "That people is just so annoying."

He laughs at this.

Maybe we can actually be friends. Maybe I can even convince him to date Nita.

* * *

 **I know this is shitty but I said in the last chapter that reviews inspire me and I have none. Don't blame me, blame yourselves. Can't you at least say hi? :'( By the way I am sorry for the grammar mistakes. Forgive me. I know In the other lines I was bitch to you blaming you for my lack of inspiratino but I love you my eight followers.**


	3. Chapter 3: Hard Breaking Shell

**I THOUGHT YOU HATED ME**

* * *

 _Wednesday 2nd September 2015_

* * *

 _ **Chapter three: Hard breaking shell**_

* * *

"I can't believe you made a deal with Nita" Christina says amazed.

"It wasn't a deal" I tell her locking my locker.

"Yeah, you're right. It wasn't a deal." She says "It was a promise"

I look at her. I told her about the talk I had with Nita. I know I shouldn't help my legendary enemy but I can't help it. I promised it so now I have to make a plan so I can keep my promise. It's well known around here that Four isn't conformist, he is exigent. It's true he flirts with everyone, but when it comes to his whores he selects them carefully. It is not an easy task belonging to his friends circle.

And now I have to know how to get Nita in it.

"Yeah it was. And you know I keep my promises" I tell her. "But I can't do it alone. I need your help"

Her eyes go wide and she starts shaking her head while she walks away from me. I follow her.

"Oh, no, no, no, no, no." She says and turns to me "Don't you ask me to get into that kind of troubles, Tris. Messing with the populars, is like doing a pact with the devil"

I roll my eyes.

"It can't be that bad." I say "We are helping Nita to make her dream come true."

"We are not fairy godmothers, Tris." She says "We can't make her dream come true. We'd need to know Four's whores standards or even worse… talking to him. We can't do that."

I smile.

"Of course we can." I say "Now are you with me?"

She sighs.

"Why do you want to help Nita? You don't even like her" She asks.

"Are you with me?" I ask once again.

She rolls her eyes.

"Okay, I'm with you."

* * *

"Are you serious, Christina? Sunglasses?" I ask her checking on her bag.

"Yes. Everything that is in that bag will be necessary to spy on Four." She says tying her hair in a bun. "We can't let them see us. Is a risk I'm not going to take."

We are in the school bathroom. School finished almost one hour ago. Since then we have been here discussing Christina's plan. She had to go to her house to get the things and she just arrived. Thought the things she brought aren't really important.

I roll my eyes.

"Also, I look better on black." She says while she puts into a black long coat, a black hat and dark sunglasses.

"So what's the plan?" I ask, doing the same as her.

"We are going to go to his football practice." She says "Before the practice finishes we'll put a microphone on his cellphone, which he carries all the time, so we can listen to anything he says and does."

"Right. And what if he just sleeps and eats." I ask "We don't get anything. Or worse, what if he sees us? Or finds the microphone?"

"He won't. That's why we are using black." She says. "Now let's go. His practice could end anytime now"

We walk towards the door that leads to the field and I stand on my tiptoes to look through the window. The guys are still doing push-ups what means there's about five minutes left for practice. I know because I've come to see Uriah sometimes while I wait for him. Now I can look at him through the window, and I feel guilty. We have always been like best friends and doing something without telling him feels wrong. I feel like I am betraying him.

"What are you thinking about?" Asks Christina.

"I feel guilty" I say getting away from the window. "Like I'm betraying Uriah."

She puts a hand in my shoulder.

"That's because you are betraying him" She tells me.

I get her hand off me.

"You are not helping me" I say

"I'm telling the truth. If you feel like it is wrong, it is. Even if he doesn't cares at all." She says "But you can't tell him everything. And you'll have to understand that someday. Why not now?"

She opens the door and runs toward the terraces. She hides below them and makes me a sign to follow her.

I take a breath.

Okay, Tris. You can do this.

I run towards her as fast as I can. I see the guys doing push-ups, panting and sweating. Not even aware of me running across the field. I arrive at the terraces and hide below them like Christina.

"Let's get his backpack. And quickly." I tell her running below the terraces. I find the backpacks because I see them above me, still in the seats. I jump and get Four's. I start looking for his cellphone while Christina keeps an eye on the guys. I get the cellphone out and put the small microphone that Christina got from Will.

I put the cellphone on his backpack and put it where it was again.

"Done. Let's go" I tell her and we run towards the exit.

We run by the hallways and out of the school to the car.

"I can't believe we just do that" I say panting. "Isn't it illegal or something spying on someone?"

"Don't you blame me." She says panting as well "You were the one who wanted to help the Hearts Queen"

I look over my shoulder and see the guys coming out the school in the parking lot. The guys are around Four who is talking eagerly about some stupid thing.

"They're coming." I tell Christina "Let's hide"

We try to hide below the window and turn on the sound.

" _And then I laughed at her."_ Four's voice says. The sound is muffled because his phone is still in his backpack so I have to focus so I can hear what they're saying. _"She was angry because she wanted to be my only girl."_

" _And what did you tell her?"_ Someone else's says.

" _That if she wanted to be with me, she had to share. If she didn't want to share she'd need to leave."_

" _And did she leave?"_ Asks a voice that I will always recognize.

Uriah.

" _Of course she didn't, Uri"_ Four says. _"She is loyal to me. Not even her stubbornness could make her turn her back to me. Unlike your girlfriend"_

I frown.

" _What do you mean?"_ He asks _"We love each other"_

" _Have you ever tried her?"_ He asks him _"Have you ever put her limits? Because I'm sure that if you do, she'll leave you right away. If she loved you she wouldn't leave you. No matter what."_

" _Bullshit"_ Uriah says steady. _"You are jealous because I have a real relationship."_

" _Am I? Uriah you know your girl well, and you know that she values freedom over everything."_ Four says " _The day that you are an obstacle to her freedom she'll leave you… If you don't believe me, why don't you try her?"_

" _I would never be an obstacle to her freedom"_ Uriah says.

Four laughs.

" _So that's the problem. You're too loyal to her. So loyal, that she doesn't needs to be."_

" _You're crazy"_ Uriah says and his voice is lower. It sounds far away.

" _I'm right"_ Four yells and then I see him walking to his car and Uriah to his.

I look at Uriah, he is in his car and he looks upset. He starts driving and exits the parking lot.

The rest of the evening Christina and I don't hear anything else. At least nothing interesting enough. We hear him talking to one of her whores, Sasha. The one that apparently, he had a fight with. They had a cellphone conversation, and he told her he didn't want to see her sitting with them tomorrow. That she was out. She was so sad, she even cried. She said that Nita was only keeping her in the cheer team because of Four, and she said that all the friends she had, she had gotten them because of him. But that didn't make Four change his mind.

After hearing that, I realized he was a dick. And Nita was better without him than with him.

But I made a promise.

And I have to keep it.

"I can't believe we failed" I tell Christina. Now we are lying on my bed, looking at the roof while we hear Four's finger tipping on his cellphone. That guy texts as crazy.

"I do" She says and sits "I told you we'd failed. You can't mess with Four"

"I still don't get why he told Uriah all that." I tell her "Has he always been like that to him, or he was this the first time?"

"I can't tell." She answers "It was the first probably. Uriah seemed amazed… But you what's the worst thing?"

I look at her. Christina has always been honest. It has been hard being her friend all this time listening the truth coming out of her mouth like vomit, but you get used it. And with the time, I realized that the truth wasn't going to disappear ignoring it.

"The worst of all is that Four is right" She says "You love Uriah, I'm sure of it."

"But not enough" I say sighing.

"You love him like your best friend. You feel comfortable with him, he is your peace." She says "But love isn't peace."

I roll my eyes.

"I know Christina. You tell me that always" I say and cover my face with the pillow. "' _Love isn't peace, love is war'"_

"You're right, Tris" She says and gets up. "Now I should leave. You have a plan to do"

I sit and look at her.

"A plan?"

"Yeah." She smiles "You'll have to talk to Four tomorrow if you want to get Nita in his friends circle. Then she walks away and closes the door.

I whine and let myself fall in bed.

It's going to be a _long_ week.

* * *

"Are you sure this is going to work?" Christina asks.

We are hiding in the corner of a hallway, waiting for Four to walk by. While I was thinking yesterday in the night, I realized the only way to get information was going directly to the source.

"Wait, I think I hear him" She says "What do I do?" She looks scared.

"You hide in the locker" I whisper and open a locker and point to its inside

"What?!" She whispers-yells "But I'm too tall, I'd never fit in it"

"Then you have a hard work to do" I tell her and push her in. She makes a sound. "And when you're listen I ask him you'll record his answers with your phone." She gets in and I close the door of the locker. "Thank you"

"Who are you talking to" I hear his voice saying by behind me

I turn around.

"No one!" I say smiling "No one. Mmmm…. So I was wondering-"

"Oh, no" He says and laughs "When you start thinking bad things happen"

"I was wondering why you told Uriah all that bad things about me" I say, not as angry as I'd like to be. I know I'm ruining the plan, I know that I shouldn't be doing this. I have to make him trust me, but I have to know why he did it.

His smile fades.

"How do you know?" He asks

I swallow

"Uriah told me" I tell him

"Then he must have told you I said sorry too" He says "And I took back what I say"

I stare at him.

"I didn't…" I start

"Yeah, you didn't know" He says coldly "I was angry, Tris."

"I'm sorry." I say "I should have known"

"Yeah, you should" He sighs "But I owe you an apologize anyways. I'm sorry, Tris"

I shake my head.

"Don't worry" I say "In fact, I didn't came here just to fight with you" I say and lie in the locker, for Christina to know that is time to start recording.

"Then what else do you want?" He asks.

"I don't want anything. Is my friend" I say "She has a crush in you, and she would like to… get to know you."

He raises his eyebrows.

"Doesn't everyone?"

I roll my eyes.

"Don't be smug." I say "You probably already know her, but maybe if you consider her like something else, you might like her."

"Yeah, you can tell her that if she wants a date she'd had to tell me herself" He says "I don't like cowards"

"She isn't one." I say quickly "I'll tell her to approach you tonight at the party. That sounds good?"

He smiles.

"Yeah. I'm eager to know you _friend."_ He says and starts walking away.

"Wait" I say and I touch his elbow, because I can't touch his shoulder. "Do you have… any preferences? You know like… when it comes to girls?"

He smiles smugly.

"I like blondes." He says "If she wants to know anything else she'll had to find out by herself."

"Thanks, Four" I say

He nods and walks away.

 _I like blondes._

Oh, God. What I'm I getting myself into?

I hear something punching the locker.

Christina.

"Oh God, I'm sorry Chris" I say and open the locker straight away. "Did you got it?"

She nods while she is panting.

"I got every single detail of the conversation. Now we just have to show it to Nita" She says.

I frown.

"Can we cut the part when he says he likes blondes?" I ask

"Why do you want to cut it?" She asks surprised "She asked information. That's what we'll give her."

"It won't make her any good hearing it" I say and get her cellphone.

"All right, Mother Teresa" She says and starts fixing her hair. "Now let's go"

I sigh and look at her cellphone.

I smile.

* * *

 **Well, I ask sorry for any grammar mistakes. My original language is not English. If you have any suggestions tell me, and I'll accept them. The next chapter will be the party, I hope you like it. By the way I'm so sorry for not writing. But since Summer Break is here I'll be able to write so much more. Oh! READ THIS: There will be truth or dare next chapter, so if you have any dare that you want me to put in the story tell me. I'll give you credit for it!**

 **REVIEW. It MOTIVATES us to WRITE.**


	4. Chapter 4: Doll up

**I THOUGHT YOU HATED ME**

* * *

 _Thursday 3rd September 2015_

* * *

 _ **Chapter four: Doll up**_

* * *

"I brang you this" I tell Nita.

I had to look for all the school to find her. Maybe she isn't one of the popular group. But she is important, no one denies it. At the end I found her in the lunch table in the school yard, with her other friends. All of them wearing skirt and heels, with pink make-up covering all their faces like masks. All of them are looking at me like I'm a freak, or stupid. And maybe they're right, I'm stupid for coming here.

 _Messing with the popular is like doing a pact with the devil._

"Oh, Tris." Nita says smiling and getting up from her seats. "You brought it"

"Yeah I did." I say smiling back.

I feel weird being treated kindly by her and her friends. When Nita smiles at me, the look of disgust disappear from the other girls faces.

"Come, sit with us." She says brightly

I have seen this in thousands of movies. They tell the soft girl to sit with them, they are nice with her, but then they betray her trust in some way. The look in Nita's eyes seems honest, but she's a great actress. I'm good reading people but I don't know if I can read _her._

"Um, no thank you." I say giving her the recording "I have to come back with my friends."

She rolls her eyes.

"Your love bird can wait a little for you" She says and drags me to their table.

"So how did you get it?" She asks

"Talking to him" I say shrugging "It wasn't that hard. He can be approachable when he is not mad"

"He's always mad" Another girls says. All of them are looking at me. Some just look, like if they were looking at something totally new and they were trying to swallow it in. Others, look at me like they want to pull my eyes out of my face. And other, the most whore-like are smiling. I think that's because they're stupid. Or maybe smart. Maybe they know they have to do what their leader does.

"She's right" Nita says pointing at the girl who talked some seconds ago.

"And why aren't you with Four?" I ask Nita, trying to don't look too shy. I don't want them to think I'm weak "I saw you with him one week ago. I thought you were succeeding."

"Not really…" She says, sighing "He was _trying me,_ or so he said. Apparently he'll let me know if I can eat with them. Of course, I'd had to come some days with my girls. I can't leave them" She looks around at her friends and they smile to her. Is like if she was their queen or something.

I can't imagine being part of a group like this.

"Yeah, well. I'm sure he'll let you eat with them after tonight" I tell her. "I must go, but I wish you look" I stand up from my seat and she nods and smiles. When I walk away they wave at me. Is like if I was in middle school again. She being kind to me and everything.

I walk away shaking.

Being with the popular feels _so_ out of place.

I know people says that Uriah is popular, but I know him since God knows when. I don't see him like a popular guy.

I open the cafeteria doors and find my table.

"Oh god, being with that girls felt weird" I tell Uriah when I sit down. He offers me my lunch tray.

"I still don't get why you had to go with Nita" He says "You hate her."

"She's not so bad." I say, eating my sandwich.

"She is" He says and puts an arms around my shoulder. I look around the table. Everyone is in their own talk, not even listening to us. That makes me feel kind of nervous. I love Uriah and everything, but almost always he says _I love you,_ or he hugs me, or kisses me we are with people. Most of them looking at us. That makes me feel safe, but times like this when no one stares I feel like we are alone. And the thought of being alone with Uriah makes me shiver. Not just with Uriah… any guy.

Of course I haven't told him that.

How would he feel? He'd think I'm scared of him.

"Perhaps" I say "So, are we playing truth or dare for the party?" I ask everyone. Thankfully they look at me.

"Of course we are. We were discussing who should we let stay" Zeke tells me "Any thoughts?"

"I think we should stay Four and Nita. Maybe even Lauren" I say

He raises an eyebrow at me.

"What happened to you?" He asks me "One month ago you'd have killed me if I even suggested inviting Four to our truth or dare game."

Zeke and Shauna are part of Four's group, but they never eat with him, or invite him to our truth or dare games. The other part of his group like Lauren and Nita don't stay away from him a second. They eat with him and the other jocks of the school. This is when I appreciate them. That despite everything they put us over everything. They could be eating with the popular people, but instead they are with us. Maybe we are younger than them, but we are friends.

This is real friendship.

And if I am his friend I have to stop being so selfish.

"I realized he doesn't deserves my hate" I say "He is just a dick. And I'm sorry for him. You are probably the only friends he has besides his…. Escorts. I think you should invite him"

"It sound like you two are close" Shauna says and narrows her eyes "Because that's exactly how he is."

"She's just a good people reader" Uriah says hugging me tighter.

"I agree with the love birds" Lynn says. "Four is an ass, but he needs some friend. Also, he is interesting."

"You heard it" Christina says "Wise Lynn has spoken. Nita, Lauren, Molly, Peter, Drew and Four are invited to our truth or dare game at the end of the party."

"What?" I ask horrified "I was just talking about Nita and Four"

"Shut up, peasant" Says Lynn to me.

I roll my eyes.

"I'm not your peasant" I say and cross my arms.

* * *

"Get out of the bathroom and put the dress on, Tris!" Christina yells from out the bathroom.

"No!" I yell back "I refuse! It's tight, short and disgusting!"

"You are calling _my_ dress disgusting?!" She asks

"Yes, I'm calling your _dirty, slutty, stupid_ dress disgusting!" I yell

"You little bitch. Get out of the bathroom and put the goddamn dress on!" She screams "RIGTH NOW!"

"Over my dead body!" I yell "Why don't you bother Lynn?"

"Don't tell me you are fighting again over clothes" I hear Marlene saying.

"She called _my_ dress disgusting." Says Christina.

"And dirty, and slutty, and stupid." Lynn says. She was in the room while we were fighting. The difference is that she enjoys our fight. Unlike Marlene, who is the one that makes us apologize and all that shit.

Marlene growls.

" _Tris…"_ She says walking toward the door "Being sexy and slutty is not the same."

"For me it is" I say

"So you are calling us sluts?" She asks.

I think my answer.

"Not really." I say "You _do_ dress slutty, but you are not sluts"

"Tris!" Marlene screams "You are not helping.

"Look-" I say stepping out of the bathroom "I'm not going to wear that thing you call dress. It leaves like the fifty percent of my body naked. It could be a shirt as well. I don't like it and I'm not using it" I sit in the bed with Lynn and cross my arms.

"Come on, Tris" Marlene whines "Don't you want Uriah to look at you like that?"

I look at her. Christina and I always fight over clothes. I swear we always do. Every night before going to every party she tries to make me look _sexy_ and I refuse. And at the end I get to wear a simple dress and she leaves me alone until the next party. Marlene and Lynn always step in. Lynn on my side, Marlene on Christina's. Though, she had never mentioned Uriah. They now about my intimacy fear and it's crystal clear that I don't want to talk about it. So why (of everything) she brings it in?

I roll my eyes.

"I don't need him to look at me like _that_ to know that he loves me." I say, my arms still crossed.

"Tris, if you don't give Uriah what he wants" Marlene says "he's going to dump you"

I get up.

"And how the hell do you know what _he_ wants?!" I yell "You know _anything_ about him!"

Marlene steps closer.

"I know he's a guy. And I know he is a teen." She says "And I'm sure he has needs. If you don't show him you are ready, he won't take the next step."

I purse my lips.

"And dressing like that is going to show him I'm ready?" I ask yelling.

"It will show him you grew up." Says Marlene giving me the dress. "And ready"

"But I'm not!" I say

"Then he'll dump you" Marlene says

"Then he can dump me!" I yell and approach Marlene "Look. I have enough with my own thoughts. I know what Uriah wants and I don't need you to tell me what to do with my boyfriend. It's my choice what to do, what to say and what to _wear._ So don't you mess with my life again."

I storm out of Christina's bedroom followed by Christina and Lynn.

"Oh my God, what the hell just happened?" Christina asks.

I sigh.

"I can't believe she said that" Lynn says surprised. She is never surprised.

"Neither do I" I say

"You know what?" Asks Christina "Is my fault, I should stop trying change you. Now, let's go to my sister's room. I think I gave her some clothes that you can wear."

"Thanks." I say "But it's not your fault. Not Marlene's. You're right, I should try to grow up"

Lynn touches my shoulder.

"Tris, you don't need a dress to grow up" She says "If you want Uriah go and tell him. If you don't, don't. He loves you from here to the moon. I'm sure he'll wait some years more for you to be ready"

I sigh.

"Thank you" I say "Now let's get that dress"

At the end I choose a red simple dress. Sleeveless and knee-length. Not tight, not loose. Simple dress.

We drive Zeke's house without Marlene. Even Lynn her best friend, agreed that she didn't deserve our kindness until she apologized. I think it wasn't her fault… Well, yes it was, but she must had her reasons. Uriah is her best friend, and I always knew she was in love with him. I haven't told her I know because it's not worth it. But the point is, she loves him since middle school, and she knows the only weakness on our relationship is my fear so she attacks it. She is only mad at me and uses it against me.

I think I can forgive her.

We arrive at the house. I can see the colorful changing lights, and people dancing from out of the window. They all look crazy and too tight. Even in Zeke's big house. I step out of the car and look the house up and down, as if I never had been here before. I do it all the years. All the years I have to do this to get enough strength to walk in the house.

"Are we going in, or are you just going to stare at your boyfriend's house the rest of the night?" Christina asks and walks in.

Lynn gets out of the car. She hasn't shaved her hair in a while, so I can't see her skin in her head anymore. She is wearing an ankle length dress and a choker. She is also wearing a lot of tight bracelets. Lynn has always been original, and I like that about her.

"I don't want to be here neither" She says "But I don't want to be raped by some crazy guy here in the street" She looks around at the alone street and walks in.

I roll my eyes and walk in as well.

There are sweating bodies everywhere, and everybody is dancing some shitty like music I don't like.

I _hate_ parties.

And I hate them more when Christina gets away from me so she can get drunk and Lynn gets away from everyone so she can get laid.

I _hate_ parties.

"Wow, you came" Says Uriah suddenly in front of me and kisses me.

His kiss tastes to beer.

I don't kiss back.

"You're drunk Uriah" I tell him and step back.

"And you're scared" He says lying in the wall behind him. "I know you are scared because when you are you scared, you act angry."

I purse my lips.

"I'm not scared." I say "Drunks just make me uncomfortable. Mad people and drunks are capable of anything"

He rolls his eyes and steps closer.

"Don't you trust me, Beatrice?" He asks

Now I roll my eyes.

"Of course I trust you shithead" I say "But you gross me out when you're drunk. It gets out the worst part of you. You act like Four with one of his whores"

"Oh come on, sugar" He says and tries to get me closer.

I pull away.

"Sugar my ass" I say and walk away "I hope the alcohol effect goes away when it's time to play truth or dare"

I starts walking to the patio where I know is quiet and see Nita crying in the way. She is stumbling toward me and when she is near enough she lets herself fall in me. I whine and make my best effort to don't fall. She is using high heels and she is already tall so it's like I'm carrying a monster. It doesn't helps that she is drunk and she is not cooperating.

"She told me he liked someone else, Tris" She says hugging me "She said I'd never be as good as her and he told me to go away."

My eyes go wide and I hug her back.

"I'm so sorry" I say "If you want I can keep trying"

"Don't" she says and stands up "I'll take care of it by myself. Anyways, thank you for your help"

Then she walks away as fast as she came.

I walk fast towards the patio and find Four smoking in one chair, looking at the sky.

"You dick!" I yell

"What are those manners, Beatrice?" He asks me smirking "Go to the bathroom and wash your mouth. Those words shouldn't be on a pretty girl's vocabulary."

"Then it's a good thing I'm not pretty" I say "What were you thinking? You broke Nita's heart, now she is going to bother you to death"

"I don't care, scared kitten" He says "I can handle it. By the way I think I deserve an apologize."

"An apologize?" I ask "The only one here who deserves an apologize is Nita"

"I thought it was someone else you were talking about" He says "Lynn, Marlene maybe. Marlene isn't blonde but her red hair works"

I roll my eyes.

"You superficial idiot." I yell "She has a crush on you! Couldn't you at least give it a shot?"

"NO!" He yells and for the first time he looks at me. He throws his cigarette to the ground and steps on it before getting a new one from his pocket. "I don't want more whores, Tris."

I roll my eyes.

"Look, I hate it when I get a little drunk and spill my secrets to some stranger" I say "So I'd recommend you to stop talking before you say something you'll regret"

He rolls his eyes.

"I'm not drunk, you idiot" He says "Not drunk enough to spill my secrets at least. But I meant it. I don't want more whore. I thought your friend would be a little more serious about a relationship, and Nita had enough with being my _whore."_

"Isn't that what you want?" I ask " _Whores?"_

"I'm not as bad as you think" He says and sits again. "But you're right. Is what I want but not what I need"

"Wow, Four. Who thought you were so deep?" I ask him and sit in his lap.

I look at him and he is looking at me like I'm crazy.

"Hey, I'm not saying I don't like _this,_ but what are you doing?" He asks me.

"Oh, don't you get excited." I say "I'm going to be your friend, and if I'm going to be your friend you'll have to pay somehow. And you are good furniture, so…"

"My friend?" He asks laughing. "You?"

"I'm not that bad" I say and take the cigarette out of his hand and take a breath. I cough. "That's disgusting. Why do you smoke it?"

He shrugs.

"So, friend of mine." I say "I'm thirsty. Let's go get some Sprite"

I get up and walk toward the exit. I hear him following me.

"So why don't you like, Nita?" I ask him

"She's a whore. And I'm tired of that" He says

"So what's next?" I ask "Sluts?"

"Funny, Prior." He says "I hope your brother doesn't knows you say that kind of words"

"Oh, he knows" I say "He says them too"

"Bitch" He says

"Asshole" I say and I walk in the kitchen to get a red cup. I put some ice and sprite in it.

"You don't drink?" He asks

"Nop, I'm driving" I say "Also, I don't want to have a hangover. There's school tomorrow"

He looks at his watch.

"We should go to the basement" He says "There's a truth or dare game to play"

* * *

 **So two updates in one day. I have to pay my debt for don't updating in too long. Tell me your thoughts. I have givenn you one more day to tell me possible dares. Thank you.**

 **REVIEEEEWWW: IT MOTIVATES US TO WRIIIIITE**


	5. Chapter 5: Just Another Rat on The Maze

**I THOUGHT YOU HATED ME**

* * *

 _Thursday 3rd - Friday 4th September 2015_

* * *

 _ **Chapter five: Just another Rat in the Maze**_

* * *

We walked toward the basement. We had to walk between the tons of people, and I almost tripped when we reached the stairs. I was about to fall right in my face but I didn't trip, but not because Four magically appeared and held me in his arms. I just was fast enough to grab the rail. He just stood there and laughed at my clumsiness. He was anything but a gentleman. Finally we arrive at the basement where Shauna, Zeke and Uriah are awaiting.

And now here we are.

"So I get drunk and you go with Four?" Uriah asks "Of all the people you go with Four?"

"Usually I would be alone" I tell Uriah "Christina is drunk and Lynn is nowhere to be found. Four was the first person sober enough to talk to"

I don't know if Uriah is thinking clearly right now or if the alcohol is playing with his mind.

"And Marlene?" He asks "She never gets drunk"

I look at the ceiling.

"We had a fight" I say "Now can we please sit and wait for the others?"

He doesn't answers. He walks to the farther place away from me and sits.

I feel a knot in my throat when I see his eyes full of hate but I sit and try to convince myself that is because of the alcohol.

Christina arrives stumbling and laughing, while Will holds her waist sighing, trying to keep her from falling. Al is behind of them, trying not to look out of place. Nita, Lauren and Molly arrive together. Lauren and Molly are too happy to be sober, but too steady to be drunk, and Nita looks way better than she looked the last time I saw her. Lynn arrives with Drew and Peter at either sides of her, escorting her. I shake my head in disapproval.

"Marlene didn't come to the party" Says Lynn "Can we start?"

"I start" Says Uriah "What were you doing with Tris, Four?"

"Aghh" I whine "You don't have to be so pushy, Uriah"

"You didn't ask truth or dare" Says Four smirking. Uriah rolls his eyes, ignoring me.

"Truth or Dare?" Uriah asks

"Dare"

"I dare you to tell me what were you doing with Tris in the patio, Four" He asks once again.

Four thinks, and then answers.

"Something that she doesn't want to do with you, apparently" Four answers.

Four and I are still friends but he is an idiot. That doesn't change.

"That's not an answer" Says Uriah angry.

"It _is_ an answer, but it isn't the one you want" Four says

"We were just talking about Nita" I say. "Talking. Just talking."

A silence suddenly reins the room until Four breaks it.

"So… Shauna. T or D?" He asks

"Truth" She says "Your dares are weird"

"Are you still virgin?" He asks.

"Of course not." She says "You already know that."

He smirks.

"Just wanted to see if you'll admit it"

Shauna roll her eyes.

"How does he knows you're not virgin?" Zeke asks Shauna.

"Because you told him" She says rolling her eyes at him.

"Oh... Right" Zeke says

"Christina. Truth or Dare?" Shauna continues

"Dare" She says clapping.

"I dare you make out with Al" She says smiling.

"Eww… Gross" She says and takes her dress off. Thankfully she has a tank top and short shorts below. "Sorry, Al. Four, truth or dare?"

"Why everyone picks me?" Four asks and then he says "Dare." I look at Uriah and feel a sharp pain in my chest. Guilt. Is like a heart attack. I know he'll forgive me, but still, he had never get this mad at me before and that makes me feel sickly sad. Maybe Marlene was right. I am not enough for him but I don't want him to leave me. He is probably my first love. I don't really remember feeling anything like that before, and I know that I am scared of taking the next step, but that doesn't mean I don't love him. I love him so much that I am afraid of going too far. He always says he could wait an age if that's the time I need. He has always been so good with me.

"I dare you to kiss Tris." Christina says. "And you Tris, you have to tell us what if feels like. With detail. At least a three minutes speech"

"Not in even in my worst nightma-" And I feel a lips on my mouth.

I slap him.

"I did expect that" He says touching his cheek

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" I yell at him.

"My part of the dare" He tells me.

I punch him hard on the shoulder.

"Your turn Tris" Christina says.

I take off my jacket and cross my arms over my chest.

"Was it that bad?" Four asks

I roll my eyes.

"Fuck yourself"

In the next dares Nita kisses Lauren, Shauna has to put Zeke's underwear in her head, Uriah changes clothes with Christina and Molly is dared to kiss Al. Peter and Drew have choose truth over and over and over again.

"Four" Shauna says "Truth or Truth?"

Four rolls his eyes at her.

"Truth" he says

"Why did you went to the principal's office two days ago?"

"Nothing interesting." He says with a yawn. "He just told me that if I made any more pranks I was going to be suspended"

Lauren and Molly gasp and Shauna and Zeke look terrified. I can't help but be surprised. Not because he could be suspended, but because despite being the jerk he is, he still has people that care about him. I realize that if he was gone Peter and Drew would be kicked out of the Jocks group, and Molly and Lauren would grow apart, Shauna and Zeke wouldn't be popular anymore... So much people would be affected... Is like if he was the great king. If someone defeats him, they defeat all the town.

"So Christina, who was the last person you undressed with your thoughts?"

"How did you know I was going to pick truth?" She asks laughing. _Sigh_. Poor drunk Christina.

"I'm smart" Says Four winking

"Okay, I'll tell you." She says "It was Will."

I roll my eyes. What a surprise.

Will look embarrassed but doesn't blush.

"So Tris, Truth or Dare?" She asks

"Truth" I say. I don't want her to dare me to kiss someone else. Uriah has enough reasons to be mad at me.

"Ummm… Well, you're not funny" She says while she thinks "Um…. Are sure you don't want a dare?"

I smile "No, actually I don't" I say "By the way, you already made your question"

"Aghhh" She whines

"Okay so," I say "So Uriah, Truth or Dare?"

"Truth" He says bored, not even looking at me.

I clear my throat.

"Ummm… Who was your first kiss?" I ask.

"Marlene"

And with those words.

I. Freeze.

Suddenly all of our two years of relationship seem like a game. It feels like if it suddenly has become as fragile, weak and breakable as glass. His first kiss cannot be Marlene. He dated me first. I was his first love. He has say it again and again all over the years. _He has to be lying._ I tell myself. _Of course he is lying, he is just mad, Tris._ Though a tiny tear rolls down my cheek, but I clean it fast so no one notices.

"Zeke-"

"Dare" Says Zeke.

 _Focus on the game, Tris. Fo-cus._

"I dare you to dance _'Single Ladies'_ by Beyonce with Four and Peter."

"I'm not doing that" Says Four.

"Of course you are, Frankenstein." Says Zeke. He walks out and brings a music player.

Four and Peter stand up, both look like they rather dying. They walk toward the center of the circle looking embarrassed.

 _All the single ladies, all the single ladies._

I can't help but laugh a little at Four's awkward dance steps. I try not to laugh because I'm still mad at him, but it seems impossible when he is dancing like that. Lauren and Nita are giggling like crazies, while Molly, who seems to be more controlled, is recording with her phone. Zeke is actually dancing pretty good, but is noticeable he is fighting the urge to laugh too. Shauna is laughing as hard as she can, and holding her stomach, just as Christina. I'm just smiling, trying to keep my cool.

 _If you liked it then you should've put a ring on it, If you like you should put a ring on it_

"Okay, ya'll had enough" Four says embarrassed and stops the music. As soon as he does, Zeke starts laughing and Peter just goes to sit to his place.

Zeke sits and the game continues.

"Okay, okay. That was fun" He says "Al, truth or dare?"

"Finally someone picks me" he says "Dare"

"I dare you to call your crush's mom, and tell them you like her daughter"

Suddenly Al, doesn't looks so excited anymore. Al glares at Will and Will looks away.

I know Al likes me. He is not good at hiding it. Probably he told Will and Will told Christina who told everyone but me.

"I have to go to the bathroom" I say, and I see Al relieved at my words "You guys can keep playing" I stand up "I just really need to pee" I go upstairs and walk toward the bathroom. I walk in and lock the door. Then I wash my face.

Truth or dare games are funnier when Uriah is not mad and Four is not here.

Well, actually is not Four's fault.

Is mine.

I realize that when I am not with Uriah, I'm not the same. I don't have as much fun as I have with him. Maybe I am overacting, but I'm not sure I'll ever be the same if he breaks up wih me. Four was wrong, even if Uriah limits me, I would never put my freedom over my happiness.

I dry my face and stay in the bathroom some minutes more so Al can make the call.

* * *

The next day in the school I feel like hell. I need three hours more of sleep and less friends not talking to me. I've been trying to get to Uriah all the day. He even avoided me in lunch, he sat in the same table but wouldn't speak to me. I hate it when he gets mad. Right now I'm trying to follow him. I was the first that got out of my class so I could go and look for Uriah

"Uriah?" I ask while I follow him down the hallway.

"Uriah?... Please, stop ignoring me" I say while I grab his arm. I keep following him and I trip with my own feet and he catches me.

He always catches me.

I look into his eyes and I remember Four's eyes, when he was laughing at me yesterday when I almost tripped. I don't know how Uriah was jealous of someone like him. I could never love someone like him. I don't know why I compare them but I can't help myself. Four laughs at me and Uriah helps me. Uriah doesn't deserves to be compared with someone like him

"What do you want, Tris?" He asks.

I stand up and take the dust off my pants.

"I want you to forgive me" I say. His eyes go wide and I roll my eyes. "Oh come on, don't be surprised. I am not that proud"

"Yes," he says "Yes you are. I was going to forgive you eventually even if you didn't ask me to, but since you asked... I guess I can't say no..."

"You could" I say

"But I won't"

"Look, I didn't want to tell you but I made a deal with Nita" I say "I promised I'll try to make Four have a date with her"

Uriah rolls his eyes.

"So that's why Nita was crying, and you were with Four" He sighs " It's okay, I should have guessed that Four would make up a story to make me get mad at you. Lately we fight a lot"

"That's a shame, because I think we are friends or something..." I say slowly

"Yeah, I realized" He sighs

"But you have to stop being jealous. He's my friend, I'm doing a project with him and I'm trying to make him like Nita and... I can't do any of it if you are mad at me"

He slightly smiles and hugs me.

My heart fills up with relief and I hug him back, feeling how the things come back to normality.

"But if he tries anything..." Uriah starts

"He has already try something" I say "And I think I can handle myself"

He narrows his eyes.

"Sure?" He asks

"As hell"

He kisses my cheek goodbye and messes with my hair before heading to his class. I see him walking down the hallway and then I go to my own class. Thanks God I'll be able to enjoy Music class knowing that the things between Uriah and I are fixed.

"Hey there, shortie" Four puts his arm around my shoulders.

I push his arm away.

"Wow there, I thought we were friends" He says looking offended.

"We _were_ " I say "Past tense"

"Why did you get mad at me?"

"Because you kissed me in front of Uriah" I'd like to feel more anger against him. I feel like I am not mad enough. For some reason, I want to be mad at Four. I don't really know why. I guess that suddenly being friends with him is so weird that I am looking for excuses to stop it from happening.

"It was a dare" He says in defense "You can't blame me, blame Christina."

"Friends don't do things that make their friends get mad at them"

"Come on, I didn't know that" He says desperate "You can't just walk away and start hating me again, Tris"

"See me," I say

"Tris, please" He says. I look at him. He looks like he cares. But why? Why does he cares so much? He already has a bunch of friends all around the school. What does he wants my friendship for? Can't he just leave me alone? "I had enough punishment when Uriah made me dance Single Ladies."

I can't help but laugh.

"Are you going to walk in?" Tori asks "Or are you going to stand there, while I teach my class?"

Four and I look at each other and walk in. We both know that we can't act like friends in front of so many people. Music class has people from all the grades. Not all my friends are here, but most of Four's are. If any jock sees him talking to me, Four's reputation would go down, and people would start talking. You can't never forget your status in this school. You belong where you belong, and everyone who tries to try something different is considered just some idiot more.

Four and I aren't idiots.

We are smart enough not to hang out in public.

I walk toward my usual sit in the auditorium next to Christina. She is looking down and looks embarrassed. Also, her face looks like it just was sprayed with guilt.

"I'm sorry about-"

"Yes, I know" I say "Just don't do it again, okay?"

She nods.

"Did you arrange things with Uriah?" She whispers.

"Yes, I did." I whisper back "Tough he still seems worried about my friendship with Four"

" _Friendship?_ " Christina asks startled. "Tris, that guy doesn't know how to have friends. You are playing with fire"

"I know" I say "Messing with the popular is like doing a pact with the devil"

"Kiddies, Kids, Teens and Senior" Tori starts "Today we are gonna study the piano. The story of the piano begins in Padua, Italy in 1709, in the shop of the harpsichord maker named Bartolomeo" a small giggles come from the front line "di Francesco Cristofori.

Some people clap and Christina stand up and walks toward the piano.

Christina always whines, saying she doesn't have any talent but shopping. But actually, she plays piano as a God.

Christina starts playing, but weird noises come from the piano. Not notes but… horrific noises. Like when someone connect wrong a microphone and the sharp loud noise send chills down your spine. Those sound were almost as bad. Christina jerked away from it with a scared face.

"I'm sorry, I'm sure I'm playing the right notes." She says "I think something is broken inside" She points at the piano box and Tori walks toward it. She opens it and Christina screams in the top of her lungs, before rats start climbing off the piano.

* * *

 **Guys, I'm sorry about not updating in sooo long but I was in my aunts house (Out of the country) And I didn't have my laptop and I couldn't update by my iPad. Thanks God I am in home now and I can keep writing. IMPORTANT: If I finish editing the fifth chapter before ten you'll have two updates in one day. Maybe even three thanks to Fairyvixenmaiden.**

 **REVIEW.**

 **I'm sorry because this chapter kind of sucks.**


	6. Chapter 6: Friends

**I THOUGHT YOU HATED ME**

* * *

 _Friday 4_ _th_ _\- Monday 7th September 2015_

* * *

 _ **Chapter six: Friends**_

* * *

The girls start screaming and climb their seats, hugging each other. Christina and I do the same, but after two seconds of screaming I start laughing. This is all just so ridiculous. I want to scream and be scared, but I am not. I just keep imagining someone in a pet's store saying ' _Umm, I want thirty two rats, please'._ I think I am just not the kind of girl scared of rats, too girly for me. I look around to see the chaos going on in the classroom.

I scream in the top of my lungs and then laugh again.

"What are you laughing at?" Asks frenetic Christina.

I shrug.

Most guys are looking everywhere, like they don't know what to do. One or two guys from the nerds group climbed their seats, probably because they know something _dangerous_ about rats that we don't. Four is laughing his ass off with Peter and Drew

 _Another joke?_

"Guys!" Tori screams "Get all the rats. We are putting them in this box!" She says, showing a small box.

Every single guy in the room starts getting the rats by their tails and they put them in the box. Even Four is helping, and he is not laughing anymore, but he's still smiling. How could he pull another joke? Does he remembers that Principal Eaton is going to expel him for this? When the guys get all the rats, most girls finally stop screaming and I get off my seat, just as Christina.

"Everyone take a seat" Says Tori, not mad but serious.

"Oh my Gosh, something bad is 'bout to happen" Says Christina in my ear.

I nod.

"Now, Kids, Kiddies, Teens, seniors…" She says slowly before sighing "I want to know… WHO THE HELL DID THIS?!"

"Ummm…" Nita says and looks at me "I think I know who did"

 _Oh my God, that bitch._

"Oh God, do you think she is going to blame you?" Christina asks.

"She _can't._ " I say "She just _can't"_

"I'm pretty sure it was Four!" She screams and points at Four.

Everybody gasps.

Four looks astonished. "My dad is owner of a pet store, and I was hanging around when I saw him carrying a box full of this little animals" Nita continues "What were you going to do with this rats after pulling the prank off?" She asks " _Kill_ them? As the sadist and sinic guy you are?"

"You are _crazy"_ Four says pointing at her, before looking at Tori "I swear I didn't do anything. It was _her!_ Why would I pull a prank? I could be expelled! That's nonsense! You _can't_ believe her!"

"Nita always gets what she wants" Christina whispers "We have no proof it was her, and she has _proof_ that Four did it…. He is lost."

"No… he is not" I say and look at Four. He is looking at me right in the eyeball. I stand up and realization crosses his eyes.

" _Don't"_ He mouths.

"I did it, Ms. Wu!" I scream.

Everybody looks at me.

"Oh my God" Nita says "Please, Tris. Don't try to get Four out of this. Everybody knows that if you had pulled the prank off, you wouldn't have admitted it"

 _What does that even mean?_

"Actually, it was me, Nita" I say "I just don't want someone to be expelled just because of me. I asked Four to go and get the rats, but he had no idea what they were for. Sorry Four" I look at him with a guilty look.

"Ms. Prior, come with me" Tori says.

I walk down with all the eyes on me. I approach to Tori when she walks me out.

"Are you sure you want to do this for Four, Tris?" She asks me "You-"

"I don't know what you're talking about, Tori" I say confused "I'm not doing this Four, I'm doing this for the school." Then when she is the confused one, I walk toward the Principal's Office.

* * *

"Prior" Says Mr. Eaton "I understand what, and how but not why?"

"I don't know why are you surprised, Mr. Eaton" I say

"Well, you are not a nerd but you have great grades and you have never pulled a prank off." He says, surprising me when he says nerd "That's why I am surprised"

"There's always a first time" I say "I'm really sorry, but I had to. Have you heard Christina playing piano? I know she is my friend but she sucks." I roll my eyes and cross my arms over my chest hoping it looks credible. They can't blame Four if I they _do_ think it was me, right?

"Well, I _am_ sorry" He says "Just because you're a great leader and student, I won't put this in your expedient this time."

"Thank you, but is not necessary" I say "I am willingly to pay the consequences."

"You will" He says "You will help out in the library with the other punished guys and the volunteers every day this week after school and you will pay to fix the damage made on the piano"

"Okay, I think I can handle that" I say.

"And you won't be allowed to come to the Homecoming dance" He says

"What?! But… I already have my dress!" I yell. "Christina and I were going to spend the afternoon getting ready and talking about how slutty the cheerleaders are!"

"Then you'll have to wait to the next year" He says "And I suggest you to sell the dress on E-Bay because you've got a piano to fix. Now you can leave" He points at the door.

I sigh and leave.

"Where is my little bad girl!?" Uriah screams and hugs me right when I get out of the Principal's office.

Over his shoulder I see that everyone is here. Christina, Shauna, Zeke, Lynn, Will, Al, Four, Lauren, Molly even Marlene. Everybody looks happy, like if I just won a prize instead of being punished.

"What are you guys doing here?" I ask when Uriah lets go. "You should be in class"

"We skipped" Uriah explains "I cannot believe you didn't tell me about the prank."

"Yes, me too" Christina says. "Even if I didn't get to play, that was awesome. Best. Prank. Ever"

"Ahhh… Well, thank you" I say and look at Four. He is looking back at me, smiling. "And how did you found out?" I ask to Lynn.

"Wasn't that hard." She says "By now the half of the school already knows that Tris Prior is the most cool girl in this High School"

"Yeah, congratulations, Tris" Four says "That prank was even better than mines"

We look at each other and I feel it. We haven't talk to each other since we got inside the classroom but somehow I know he knows the truth. He knows I didn't pull the prank off, he knows I did it to save him and he knows that Nita won't give up on this. And somehow, by looking in his eyes, I know what he wants to say. _Thanks._ I can't hear the words, or see his lips moving but I _feel_ him meaning it.

It's like talking without talk.

"Thank you" It's all I say

"So what did the Principal say?" Marlene asks. We haven't made up from our fight yet, but somehow we manage to talk to each other as if nothing has happened.

"I'll have to help out in the library all the week and…" I pause "I won't go to the Homecoming party"

The girls gasps.

"That's a nightmare" Says Christina.

"Well, in the good news section" Four says to everyone clapping his hands together. "We are a group now." He says putting his arms around Shauna's and Christina's. "Me, my group and _your_ group" He points with his index finger at me "Are eating together in the same lunch table. You guys are officially popular"

Everybody cheers. I can see Shauna and Zeke hugging, Christina high-fiving Lynn and Will. Marlene talking cheerily to Lauren and Molly, and they somehow listening. Everybody is as happy as they have never be. We never talked about popularity, just about how we hated some popular jerks, but we never really admitted to ourselves that we hated them because we wanted to be them. We wanted to be popular. And even if being popular means now we have to hang out with the ones we used to hate, no one seem to really care about it now.

There's just place for happiness.

"Of course," Four says interrupting the noise. "If your leader agrees" He sticks out a hand for me to shake.

I laugh and shake his hand.

"Of course I agree" I yell and then I sream in the top of my lungs and everybody screams with me.

"Are you sure?" Four asks to me. All the others too busy celebrating to hear us.

"As hell" I say.

We walk out of the office and keep talking while we laugh about the jokes Uriah tells us.

When we walk through the hallways I can see the happiness in my friends face. The relief of Zeke and Shauna, not having to choose between two groups anymore. Christina's eyes full of illusion, probably planning a lot of ideas to inspire the other students with her fashion. And Uriah's eyes full of love and happiness for me.

Everything is too good to last long.

I sigh.

I hope it lasts.

We reach the music classroom and the ones that are not in the class say goodbye and keep walking. Four, me, Lauren and Christina open the door.

"Finally you are here" Tori says "Now get inside before you all get a punishment for skipping class too"

We all walk in and take our seat while Tori explains the history of the piano and how it works, though I don't think I can hear anything, because I am too busy thinking about a certain rats prank.

When class finishes everyone picks their things and runs out of the classroom. Even Christina runs past me. Music class is fun, but not enough to stop the students from running out of it. I stand up and get my things and walk toward the door when I notice that I am not the only one who didn't run.

Four is blocking the door with his arm.

"Hey, I thought we could start recording today" Four says bored, looking at his phone.

For some reason, I feel like the last half hour didn't happened. Like we never decided to be friends and mix our groups. Like if for some reason the rats prank didn't mean anything to him. Is just so weird that he hasn't mentioned anything. I don't want him to hug me and congratulate me but he could say something like _'Hey, now that we are friends…'_ instead of talking in his usual jerky tone.

"I thought Zeke couldn't come today" I say, pretending I don't care that he is acting as always. As if nothing happened.

"He can't" Four says "Actually he can't any of the days. We'll have to do it all by ourselves."

"Oh, then I guess we can" I say and walk past his arm.

"Okay, wait for me there, shor-" I glare at him and he puts his hands up in defense and he shuts up.

Oh my gosh, nothing has change.

Even when I did that for _him_ , he still treats me like this in public.

We walk toward the exit and get to his car.

In the moment both doors close he drives away as fast as a mouse being chased by a hungry cat.

"Hey, I barely got to close my door" I say while he drives. I put my seat belt on. "Why are you angry? You were so happy in the Principal's Office"

"Well, there's two things that got me upset." He says now talking without the jerky tone.

I sigh.

"If you didn't had that much girls I'd say you're gay" I say "You're so moody"

"Now there's three things that make me upset, Tris." He says "Thank you very much. Okay, first, I want to know why you said you pulled the prank off? I don't think is because of popularity because I am one hundred percent sure you didn't know all this will happen"

"Well" I say "You are like the king of the school, and if you were expelled I thought Nita may will be the new queen. Not the king, but the queen. Anyways, I didn't want to live in a world were Nita had that much power"

Four smiles.

"You care about me don't you?"

"NO!" What the hell is going on his head? "Of course not. I was just worried about the school"

"Of course you were" He says locking eyes with the road.

"I was." I say and he doesn't replies. "You aren't going to reply?"

"Nope." He says still smiling "I realized it drives you madder if I don't"

"Fuck yourself" I say and cross my arms over my chest.

"That's anatomically impossible, Tris" He says "Grow up"

" _You_ grow up" I say "And don't talk to me like I am a little kitten who doesn't understand."

"Well, you _are_ a little kitten"

"FOUR!" I yell.

"Okay, okay, I'll stop" He says laughing, but he doesn't look at me.

The silence comes and I look at him. He looks happy. I doubt I have ever seen him happy before, except for the times he was laughing at me. He still doesn't look at me.

"Four"

"Yes, Tris?"

"What was that other thing you were upset about?" I ask, he still doesn't look at me.

He looks at me.

Oh finally.

He smiles.

"Nothing, Tris" He says.

"Oh no, now you tell me" I say

"Why?"

"Because I say so"

"And why do you say so?"

"Four…"

"Beatrice…."

"Don't call me that" I say "I am Tris. And by the way I do note you are trying to change the subject, but just for this time, I'll let you"

He doesn't reply.

"Actually it was nothing. There's nothing else that upsets me, but for some reason it sounded better if I said _'there's two things that make me upset'_ than _'there's one thing that makes me upset'_ " He says

"Actually it would have sounded better if you had said _'there's one thing that makes me upset'"_ I say.

"Shut up"

"Yeah!" I say "Finally you say something rude!"

"You're weird, Tris" He says raising and eyebrow.

"I know" I say smiling.

* * *

 _When the dancing recommenced, however, and Darcy approached to claim Elizabeth's hand, Charlotte, Elizabeth's best friends, could not help cautioning her in a whisper not to be a simpleton. Elizabeth made no answer and took her place in set, amazed at the dignity to which she arrived in being allowed to stand opposite to Mr. Darcy, and reading in her neighbors' looks their equal amazement in beholding it._

Four and I stand in opposite sides with music playing in the background. We start dancing without speaking a word. We are dressing some clothes from the other century, and I am trying to study all my dialogues in my head.

 _When Elizabeth saw the silence of Mr. Darcy, she began to imagine that their silence was to last through the two dances, and at first was resolved not to break it; till suddenly, fancying that it would be greater punishment to her partner to oblige him to talk._

I try not to laugh at the narration that we recorded before, so the scenes would be more understandable, and say my dialogue.

"This is one of the best dances I've attended." I say

"Without doubt, Ms. Bennet" He says in a dark voice.

I hold a laugh and keep a serious face.

 _After a pause of some minutes she addressed him a second time with-_

"It's _your_ turn to say something, Mr. Darcy… I talked about the dance, and _you_ ought to make some kind of remark on the size of the room or the number of couples." I say

Four smiles.

"I assure you, Ms. Bennet, that whatever you wish me to say, should be said" He says.

"Very well. That reply will do for the present. Perhaps by and by I may observe that private balls are much pleasanter than public ones. But _now_ we may be silent" I say and smile at my own dialogue. I like Elizabeth.

"Do you talk by rule, then, while you are dancing?" Mr. Dar- I mean Four says.

"Sometimes. One must speak a little, you know. It would look odd to be entirely silent for half an hour together; and yet for the advantage of _some,_ conversation ought to be so arranged, as that they may have the trouble of saying as little as possible" I say.

"Are you consulting your own feelings in the present case, or do you imagine that you are gratifying mine?" He asks.

"Both" I reply "For I have seen a great similarity in the turn of our minds. We are each of an unsocial, taciturn disposition, unwillingly to speak, unless we expect to say something that will amaze the whole room, and be handed down to posterity with all the éclat of a proverb"

"This is no very striking resemblance of your own character, I am sure" He says "How near it may be to _mine_ , I cannot pretend to say. _You_ think it a faithful portrait undoubtedly"

"I must not decide on my own performance."

 _Then they went silent again and-_

Four's laugh makes me roll my eyes and stop the music and the narration.

"Four, this is the third time you laugh" I say "I am getting tired of recording again and again and again and-"

"Okay, I got it" He says "Sorry, I'm just not meant to be Mr. Darcy. Also, you dance funny. I cannot help but laugh."

I put both hands on my waist.

I have to say I kinda like his character of Darcy, but every time he laughs I just remember he is the jerk I've always known.

"Oh, and _you_ know how to dance?" I ask.

"Of course I do" he says and in two steps he gets me by the waist, makes me turn and the next thing I know is that he is holding me like the prince holds the princess at the end of the magical dance in Disney movies, with one hand by the waist, tilting me towards the ground, he being the only thing keeping me from falling.

* * *

 **Yey! Chapter six. Isn't it funny how Tris first thought that he was being ungrateful at how she took responsibility for the joke to save** _ **him,**_ **and then, after, she claims that she just did it for the school? Oh gosh, I think Tris is confused. I bet she didn't even notice that. Well guys, end of the chapter.**

 **REVIEW.**


	7. Chapter 7: Cheating

**I THOUGHT YOU HATED ME**

* * *

 _Friday 4th – Monday 7_ _th_ _September 2015_

* * *

 _ **Chapter seven: Cheating**_

* * *

"What the hell are _you_ fucking doing?" I mutter. I don't bother to talk louder since our faces are inches away, and I know he can hear me perfectly.

Four cracks in laughs and lets me stand up.

"I'm sorry" He says. I know he is not, though. "Is just, your face was _priceless"_

"Whatever you say, number boy" I say, dusting off my pants. "Stop kidding around, we have a scene to record" I walk toward the camera and stop recording, then I am about to delete the video when Four grabs me by my wrists and turns me around, forcing me to face him. He is still smiling.

I fight against his hold, and realize I am not going anywhere at least he lets me.

I used to feel like I had some power over four. That's why I always refused to like him as everyone else, and just the same reason why I would be rude with him and answer him with sarcastic and sassy comments. I used to do that because it made me like if I was part of some kind of resistance.

It made me feel more powerful than him.

But now that we're standing here, his face near from mine and his hands holding my wrists, I feel powerless.

I realize that whatever I ever tried to do against him is useless.

Just like now.

"Come on, Tris" He says "Didn't you have fun?" He asks "I did. Actually I enjoy being with you more than you imagine. I think it's the first time I get to be myself in front of someone. I…" I see something tender in his expression. I know he means it. I can tell by his soft smile and the way his eyes avoid mine.

No, this is not happening.

Four _can't_ be telling me this.

Four can't be telling me he likes me.

Before he can say anything else I cut him off.

"Now Four is a poet?" I ask, teasing him. His shoulders fall just like his smile.

I'm not ready to hear whatever he has to say.

I take advantage of his surprise and get my hands back.

"Look, I should go now…." I say "I have a date with Uriah. And, he'll get mad if he knows I was hanging out with a guy _friend"_ I say, friend zoning him.

I get my things quickly and almost run to the door.

"We can record the last scene in the school's studio" _Where there´s a lot of people_ "And I can edit one half and you another." _So we don't have to hang out alone again._ "I'll see you around" _I'll make my best to avoid you till' we finish high school._

I get out and feel the rain making me heavier.

I hug my backpack so it doesn't get as wet as me and start running to Christina's house. Which is nearer than mine.

 _I'm sorry, Four. I'm so sorry._

I keep walking and my tears of frustration and regret get mixed with the rain. I stop in a store to cover myself and get my phone out to call Christina.

 _I'm sorry. I shouldn't have been such a coward, but if I'd had let you finish…_

" _What's up, Tris?"_ Chris' voice asks me.

"Christina... Can I crash over?" I ask, while I feel strangers' stares on me.

" _Of course"_ She says _"Are you okay? You sound like crying…"_

 _I would have ended up cheating on Uriah_

* * *

"You don't have nothing to worry about, Tris" Christina says "You ran away in time. Four didn't say anything and you didn't cheat on Uriah"

I arrived at her house and she let me take a shower and I borrowed some clothes. After that I told her what happened with Four and now we are talking about it while we watch _American Horror Story_ and eat dinner on her sofa.

While I was telling Christina all the things that happened, I realized that I was wrong. If Four had said something like ' _I love you',_ or ' _I like you',_ I would have done the same thing I did. I wouldn't have kissed him, or tell him the same because I would be lying to him and cheating on Uriah. I don't feel nothing but friendship toward Four, and I'm sure it's the same with him. I am completely sure I misunderstood the situation, and right now I want nothing but come back to be friends again.

Hope he feels the same way.

"I don't feel bad because Uriah" I say "I know I would _never_ cheat on him. I know that. I feel bad because maybe Four wasn't going to say anything so… _cheesy._ Maybe he only was going to say something friendly, and I ran away like a coward. That's why I am going apologize." I say and stand up to look for my phone. I walk upstairs to Christina's room and start looking in my backpack.

" _Apologize?"_ Christina asks and stands up and walks after me. "You _cannot_ apologize. Maybe he didn't realized you were all freaked out and he thinks everything is okay. If you apologize he'll know you misunderstood the situation. Don't call him okay?" She asks and I sigh "Tris, promise me you won't call him."

I sigh.

"Fine. I won't" I say and put my phone back in my backpack. "But what can I do so I don't feel so guilty?" I let myself fall in the bed and sigh again.

"Stop worrying." Christina says and falls in the bed with me. "You did the right thing. I'm sure he doesn't care at all"

"Maybe." I say.

I stop and think for a moment about everything that has happened this week. The rats prank, the fight with Nita, Truth or Dare… It feels like everything that didn't happened the last year is happening all together in this single month.

"I'm sorry, is just a lot of stuff is going on right now. You know?" I say

She sighs.

"Yeah, I understand" She says "Who would guess you were going to get in so much trouble?"

I laugh.

"You helped too" I say

"Well, I helped _you_ " She says "Though, you never told me about the rats prank. That is kind of disappointing"

"I never told you because I didn't know" I say.

" _What?!"_ She asks "What the hell are you talking about?"

"I am saying I didn't know about the prank" I say sighing "Nita pulled it off as revenge against Four. She knew that if he made any other prank he'd be expelled and she was mad at him. So she did it"

Christina is blank.

When she recovers she asks "And why did you say it was you?" She asks.

"Because they would never expel me." I say "My brother is the best student in our high school and I am not so bad myself. Also, if they expelled Four, what would we do? The popular wouldn't be intimidating anymore, geeks would rule the school and cheerleaders would be sluttier than before. I was saving our school from bankruptcy and social disorder"

"You did it for, Four. Didn't you?" She asks after some silent minutes.

"Of course not, Christina." I say "He is my friend but not that much"

"Do you think things are going to change since we'll eat with Four's group?" Christina asks me.

I sigh.

"I don't know" I says "I'm kind of worried about that. You know, maybe it's all a joke and they'll let a gallon of pig's blood fall in us"

She laughs.

"I was thinking exactly the same thing this morning" She says "But I am more worried about everyone else. You know, like Nita? What if she pulls another prank as revenge?"

"You're right. I told her I'd try to make Four like her." I say "And I didn't, instead I got closer to him and now I am his friend, what is exactly what I told Nita I wouldn't do"

"I told you" Christina says "Messing with the popular-"

"Yeah, yeah" I roll my eyes "I know"

"Well, I guess it's time to sleep, Tris" She says and turns off the light. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight" I say and turn around.

I try to sleep but for some reason I can't close my eyes. I keep thinking, and thinking and thinking about Four. Does he feels angry? Sad? Confused? Does he even cares? No. I'm sure he cares. How wouldn't he? I mean, I am his friend. HE said it, right?

I remember the first time I saw him. I met him around the same time I met Uriah. We used to be the same height, and he was shy and tender. He was a gentleman compared to the other gross guys, covered in sweat and dirt. Even then, in elementary school, a bunch of girls had a crush on him. I didn't start to hate him until he broke Marlene's heart. Before we met Lynn and Christina, Marlene and I were best friends and in some point of elementary school she developed a crush on Four. She confessed her love to Four and surprisingly, they started dating. Around a week after they started dating, Four broke up with her, saying he was bored of the relationship. Since he was the first boyfriend Marlene ever had, she didn't take it so well. She cried and told me everything. I got angry and I looked for Four (Even if we barely knew each other) and I yelled at him for being such a dick. He said he didn't really care what I had to say, and we started hating each other since then.

Until now.

I stand up and look for my phone in my backpack.

I get it out and start the call.

After three rings he answers.

" _Hhm… Hello?"_ A sleepy voice asks.

"Hey, Four. It's me." I say "Tris."

" _Tris?!"_ Suddenly he sounds awake " _Hey, are you okay? You ran out of my house in the middle of a rain. You didn't even give me time to react."_

"Yeah, sorry about that" I say "I wanted to apologize…. For being such a coward."

All I hear is silence in the other side of the phone.

" _Where are you?"_ He asks

"I am in Christina's house." I say "Sorry"

Finally he answers.

" _Don't worry"_ He says " _It was nothing important anyway"_ I can hear the sarcasm in his voice.

"I already said sorry" I say "If it was important why don't you tell me now? I' won't run away this time…. I promise."

" _It was nothing important"_ He says " _I swear. I just wanted to say… I think you're the best friend I've ever had"_

I laugh.

"You are the second best _guy_ friend I ever had" I say

He laughs.

" _Well, it's better than nothing_ " He says. _"Tris, there was something I wanted to tell you about…."_

"About what?" I ask.

" _Never mind. I'll tell you on Monday"_ He says _"Why are you still awake? Crazy night with Uriah?"_

I blush.

"Hell no, Four" I say and walk toward the hallway so I don't wake up Christina. "You know I'm not like that."

" _Oh, I know you aren't like that_ " He say " _Its Uriah I'm worried for."_

"Uriah?" I laugh a little "Come on, Four"

" _What?"_ He says

"Uriah is not like that." I say "I know him"

" _You sure?"_ He asks

"Of course I am sure, shithead. He is my boyfriend" I say calm.

" _Thanks for the reminder"_ He says sarcastically " _I usually forget, because you two kissing in the hallways is not enough"_

"Is not my fault you don't understand love" I say and laugh.

" _I understand it better than you_ " He says _"Because love isn't peace, love is war"_

"How the hell you know that?" I ask, frightened. How could he know that? That's something just Christina and I say.

On the other side of the phone, he starts laughing.

" _Heard Christina and you talking_ " He says

"When?!" I say worried he may have heard anything else.

" _When not."_ He says " _You're friend is loud, Tris. In every single way"_

"Dick" I say. "I better go to sleep. I'll see you on Monday"

" _Okay_ " He says " _Sleep well, Tris_ "

"Sleep well, Four"

* * *

Its Monday and I can't stop thinking about the thing that Four had to tell me. All the words of the teachers are like water. I try to hold them, to understand them, but they slide between my fingers and fall straight to the ground. I can't focus on anything else. For the tone Four used it had to be something important. All the Friday night I was wondering what could it be, and as Saturday and Sunday went on I got even more nervous.

What if he is going to tell me he likes me?

Or what if he is going to throw a bucket full of pig's blood on me?

What I'm I supposed to expect?

The worst thing is I can't even ask Christina to help me think because I wasn't supposed to call Four.

I am on my way to my last class before Lunch and I feel a hand covering my mouth.

I start kicking and punching until I smell Four's distinctive smell.

He gets us in a room and I get rid off his hand.

"What are you trying to do?" I ask and turn to him "Giving me a heart attack?"

"Sorry," Four says "But we have to be cautious."

We are in the janitor's closet. It's pretty small and we barely fit together. The light isn't on and I can barely see Four's shadow. Four's head almost hits the roof. He seems kind of scared looking everywhere but me. I can't tell well enough, though.

"Hey, are okay?" I ask and put a hand on his shoulder. I think.

"Claustrophobic" He says, trying to catch his breath.

"Why are we here then?" I ask.

"We have to hide" He says. "Shhh"

I stay silent for a minute. I can't believe I'm skipping class. Again. The worst thing is I don't even know why I am skipping class. Four hasn't tell though I'm still here. I guess after all I trust him. But even if I skipping class and I don't know why I am here, I am already having fun.

"You know?" I ask "Most guys would be more excited to be in a small place with a girl"

Four lets out a harsh breath and says "Not claustrophobic people, Tris!"

"Okay, okay" I say rolling my eyes. "So why are you claustrophobic?"

"Mmm… childhood punishments" He says. "My father used to lock me in a closet"

I try not to be surprised when he says that and try to talk myself.

"I am scared of not being able to breath" I say. "That means I am scared of being drawned, or being trapped in a room full of smoke, etc. I also get pretty scared when someone puts their hand over my mouth and nose."

He laughs.

"And why are you scared of that?" He asks.

"I don't know" I say "It makes me feel powerless."

"You are everything but powerless" He says laughing. "You are brave and awesome. You know that, right?"

I laugh.

"Maybe. Maybe that's why it scares me feeling powerless sometimes." I say "You understand?"

"I do" He says "Well. I bring you here because I need you to hear something"

"What is it?" I ask, and my heart starts racing.

"Well, the first day of school I skipped class to finish a book-"

I laugh.

"Yeah, I know" He says "I'm not as cool as I pretend to be. The point is, I skipped class to read my book and I hid in the janitor's closet. Right where we are. I hid here because I didn't want anyone to know I was reading a book."

"So…?" I ask laughing

"So, I stayed here and everything was alright until I heard two people talking in this corner of the hallway. Right in front the door" He sighs "And, I didn't like what I heard. They come here almost every Monday and… they said something I think you should know"

"Then tell me" I say

"I can't" He says "You wouldn't believe, you have to listen by yourself"

"But who are they?" I ask frightened. "Four, you are scaring me"

"Shh, I think it's them." He says and puts his ear against the door. "Please don't hate me when you find out"

I do the same.

"Uriah, I am tired of this" A voice says. I can't quite tell who it is because her voice is muffled by the door, but all my attention is on the fact that she is talking to Uriah.

My Uriah.

"Look, I am not going to leave Tris." He says "She is _my_ girlfriend and I love her"

"If you loved here you wouldn't be hooking up with me…"

My heart stops and anger builds up inside me.

All this time I've been worrying about making Uriah jealous and he has been cheating on me? I have him my first kiss, I let him be my first love, and he is _cheating_ on me?

 _Steady Tris, you have to listen carefully to whatever they're going to say next._

 _Take three deep breaths. Three breaths of pain._

Then you'll recover.

One.

 _We are not going together to the Prom._

Two.

 _Those Weekends spent at his house, are done._

Three.

 _He is going to pay._

"Marlene, stop it" Uriah says.

My hands turn into fists.

So that's why Marlene has been so mad at me lately.

"Why?" She asks "Don't you like to hear the truth? Accept it Uriah, Tris is not giving you what you want and you just looked for it somewhere else"

"Stop it" He says "I do love her. I just need to wait for her. I'm sure eventually she won't be afraid of intimacy."

"You didn't even know she was afraid of intimacy until I told you" Marlene says. "Why are you so stupid? She is not going to do it with you. She is not in love with you ,Uriah. She thinks she is, but she isn't, and when she realizes you are not the man of her life she'll leave you right away"

"And how would _you_ know I am not the man of her life?" Uriah asks her.

"Because if you were, you wouldn't be doing this" Marlene says "Even _I_ know it."

"If you were her friend you wouldn't be hooking up with me" Uriah says.

"I am not" She says "I have a crush on you since I remember, and you have a crush on her since I remember, so I have always envy her. That's why I dated Four on elementary school. I thought she liked him. I wanted to make her feel what I feel. She didn't like Four, though"

"You are a bitch" Uriah says annoyed.

"And you are with me" She says "So that makes you kind of a bitch too"

Uriah sighs.

"I'll see you tomorrow on your house" Marlene says and walks away.

* * *

 **Who expected this? I didn't.**

 **REVIEW: IT MOTIVATES US TO WRITE.**

 **By the way I am sorry I took so long to update. School sucks.**


	8. Chapter 8: Fuck You Uriah Eaton

**I THOUGHT YOU HATED ME**

 _Monday 7_ _th_ _September 2015_

 _ **Chapter eight: Fuck you, Uriah Eaton**_

* * *

When I hear their steps walking away, I feel the need to cry.

But not because I am sad, but because I am angry.

I am mad.

And right now, hiding in this closet I feel powerless. I want to hit Uriah, I want to yell at him for being such a dick, I want to yell at him for ruining our perfect relationship that everyone looked up to, I want to yell at him for taking away from me the only thing that still was peaceful in my life. I want to cry and make a scene in front of everyone, so he feels as bad as I felt when I heard what I heard.

But I don't cry, or yell.

I wait. I wait until the tears that were reuniting in my eyes go away and I take deep breaths.

"I'm sorry it had to be this way" Four says. "I was going to tell you, but I didn't think you'd believe me"

"It was not your fault" I say.

Even when I am angry as I've never been, I feel something breaking inside me. My Uriah, the respectful guy that was in love with me never existed, and if it did it was long gone. All this time I thought he was the perfect one, I even felt guilty for being such a bad girlfriend and he let me fall like this.

I look up at Four through my eyelashes, that are kind of wet and then I sigh.

"Why did he do this to me?" Was the first thing I said before he wrapped his arms around me and holding the tears back turned even a harder task.

I hug him back and let my cheek rest against his chest, while I close my eyes and take deep breaths.

"What's wrong with me, Four?" I ask calmly.

"Nothing is wrong with you, Tris" He says "Even Uriah said it, he loves you. Though he is still a jerk"

I laugh.

"Thanks for telling me about Uriah" I say

"Well, you'd do the same for me, right?" Asks Four

I laugh.

"I think you'd be the one cheating on" I say.

Hugging Four is like being sleeping in clouds, or being drugged. I am just half percent focused on our conversation. The other half of my brain is enjoying his comforting arms around me. For two persons who had hated each other for years this feels right. It feels like we fit. It makes me feel better, because now I know I can trust Four.

"Yeah," Four says "I think you're right"

Four smells to cool water, sweat and cologne. I feel comfortable, that's why his next words feel like a knife in the heart.

"We should go, next class should be about to begin."

We walk toward the door but before we go by separate ways he says:

"Tris, please make him pay"

* * *

Classes pass by and lunch comes, and I try my best to put on a smile while I walk with Christina, Lynn, Shauna and Marlene toward the cafeteria.

I try my best to focus on the juicy gossip Christina is telling us, but I can't seem to take my eyes off Marlene. I can't take my eyes off her stupidly perfect red dyed hair, and I can't stop thinking about how my insipid wavy blonde hair is not any competence to her. I can't stop thinking about how she has more curves than I, and I can't stop thinking if that's the reason Uriah preferred her.

Why her? Why not me?

Why?

That's all I am thinking when we arrive at the Cafeteria.

We sit in our usual table, where the guys already are, but now instead of just three guys, now there's seven. We are so much people we have to move another table so everyone can sit. Now instead of a group of four girls and three guys, we are seven girls and seven guys. Uriah, Al, Zeke, Will, Four, Peter, Drew, Lauren, Molly, Shauna, Christina, Lynn, Marlene and me.

When I sit Uriah greets me with a smile, and my lunch in a tray.

"Hey, you okay?" He asks me when I take my lunch and don't thank him.

"Yeah, great" I say "Just tired"

"You sure?" Christina asks "You look…"

"I look what?" I ask

"Anxious" Uriah says.

I start eating my food, stating that the topic is closed.

I look over to Four, to find him looking straight back at me.

" _Make him pay"_ He mouths.

I bit my lip and look to anywhere else except Four. If I look at him I'll end doing exactly what I don't want to. Exploding in crying.

"Seriously, Tris" Uriah says in a hard tone, startling all the people in the table including me. "What's up with you? I can't see you like this."

I sigh.

"Then don't" I say.

I can hear Christina gasp at my words. Uriah and I are the kind of couple that don't fight. And if we do, we never do it in front of other people, and even if we are alone we never use sarcasm or things that can hurt the other's feelings.

Uriah should thought about that before he cheated on me.

"Are you mad at me?" He asks surprised "What did I do?"

"What didn't you do?" I ask

"Tris" The look he has on his face is a worth million dollars. "What's going on?"

I let out a bitter laugh and stand up, hitting the table with my fists.

Everyone, even Four, get a little away from me in their seats.

" _What's going on?_ Are you really asking what's going on?" I ask "Why don't you ask it to your _slut_ named Marlene" I say and everyone looks at her surprised. I see realization crossing by Uriah's face and I laugh. " _Oops,_ Uriah. I bet you thought I didn't know, what did you think I was mad at you for?"

Then the begging starts.

"Tris, I _swear_ whatever you heard is a lie…." Uriah says grabbing my arm, and trying to drag me closer to him.

"Even if it came out of _your_ lips?" I ask. He freezes and his hold on me loosens. I take my arm back and walk some steps back, out of his reach.

"I love you Tris" Uriah says. "I swear I do"

"If you loved me." I say "You wouldn't be hooking up with Marlene."

I hear the gasps of the students of all the school, and it's not until now that I realize all the school is looking at us. All of them are on the edges of their seats, trying to hear all the words of our conversation. I see some girls recording, with opened mouths of surprise.

"Tris, I can explain it" Uriah says.

"Then, I don't want to hear it" I say "We are through"

Then I grab my lunch tray and spill it over him. The smooth spaghetti and its red salsa fall all over his light green T-shirt. His hair is all in red salsa and vegetables. He closes his eyes and doesn't stop me, knowing he deserves it. Then, I grab the meat left in my tray and throw it at Marlene. Unlike Uriah, she screams and all the school laughs at her.

"Now, that's what you two get for messing up with me" I say while cleaning my hands in my pants.

Not too long after me, Four spills his lunch on Marlene.

"For messing with my friend" He says and walks next to me. Then everyone, even the nerds and good girls, come running and all of them spill their lunches on Uriah and Marlene. You can hear the chaos in the cafeteria, and the weirdest thing is I am in the center of all the mass of people. I can hear all the _'that's what you get'_ s from everyone. I even get so see Zeke looking at his brother with deception, and spreading the chocolate cake on his hair.

Pedrad's total sign of humiliation.

"Well done" Four says and puts an arm around me.

"Thank you" I say "Really"

"You owe me nothing"

* * *

At the end of the school Christina tries to make me feel better and we drive to her house to catch up a little, since she doesn't know anything about what really happened. Lately I feel like I have to tell Christina a lot of things. Usually I wouldn't need to do that, because she would be there with me when I was doing the special or important things. Now is different, because in some of that special moments of my weeks or days, is Four who is in them. Not Christina. She's still in some of them of course, but that makes me realize Four is becoming an important part of my life, not only my day. So when I am in Christina's house, about to call Four to see how is he doing, a new notification kicks in my Facebook.

 _High School Hot Gossip (H.S.H.G) has added a new video where you're tagged in._

I read the text three times to make sure I am not reading wrong.

"Christina!" I yell at her from her room.

"What's going on?!" She asks from down stairs.

"You know what H.S.H.G. is?" I ask.

"HELL I DO!" She screams and I hear her fast footsteps already coming to her room. She runs in panting. "What's going on with H.S.H.G?"

"I don't know" I say "They published a video where I am tagged in." I point at the notification with my index finger.

Christina grabs the laptop and reads the notification.

"Oh. My. God, Tris." She says "High School Hot Gossip is the page where all the popular gossip from school is published… And you're in, so that means…"

"Means what?"

"You're popular!" Christina says excited.

She jumps from happiness, (I don't really know why though) and starts rambling on how important this is for me and my popularity, then she starts talking about new looks and styles and I finally stop her when she starts talking about boys.

"This is not good" I say "The video is probably about Uriah and me"

"Who cares?" Christina asks "You're popular, Tris"

I roll my eyes.

"Let me see that video."

She gives the laptop and sits next to me.

I click on the notification and a post appears.

" _Tris Prior and Uriah Pedrad, the #EpicCouple breaks up."_

 _Today at 11:03, all the school saw Uriah Pedrad and Tris Prior (The Epic Couple of the school) in an intense fight about their relationship. Tris was insanely mad at her boyfriend (well, ex-boyfriend), because according to our sources, Uriah Pedrad sassily cheated on our hot and perfect Tris. Tris was so mad she yelled at him in the middle of the lunch period (Even when she usually prefers to be reserved) and she even throw her tray of food at him and Marlene. Her lasts words to them were 'Now, that's what you get for messing up with me'._

 _After her act of rage. Four Eaton (AKA the Hottest Guy in School) supported his ex-archenemy and also threw his lunch tray in all the clothes of the stupid slut of Marlene. After Four did that, all the school followed Tris and Four's example and threw their trays in the despicable humans that messed up with Tris._

 _Poor Tris. Her boyfriend cheats on her, and her enemy supports her. Is this the beginning of a new relationship? Will this be the beginning of a new Age in our school?_

 _How long will Tris be single? Who will be the next to be rejected by her?_

 _Who will be Uriah's replacement?_

 _More on the next post of H.S.H.G._

 _If you want to see the intense fight by yourself, check the video below._

 _#IntenseFight #BreakUp #FourTris_

"What's with the hashtags?" I ask Christina annoyed.

"Just click the video, Tris" She says.

I click on the video to see all the fight since I stood up. Someone from the people recorded, though there were so much recording I can't tell who it was. In the video, I see how they throw their lunches at Marlene. I didn't see that part, and she ended dirtier than I intended her to. I also see the part where Zeke throws his cake on Uriah, and in the video he says ' _Hope you don't cheat on Marlene too'._

"On my gosh, Tris" Christina says "You really are popular"

"Stop it, Christina" I say "This is wrong. I didn't want this to be as bad for Uriah and Marlene as it was. I didn't thought everyone would do the same as me"

"Well, Uriah and Marlene deserved it." Christina says. "Everything will be all right, don't worry."

"Yeah, you're right" I say.

* * *

 **Sorry guyssss… I know it's been a long time since I updated but school won't let me update. I have so much things to do. IMPORTANT: For those who asked a Four's POV, I will try to, but I like it to do it only on Tris POV so I can surprise you all when Four does something intriguing. I will highly considerate it though.**

 **REVIEW.**

 **By the way, The Uriah** _ **Eaton**_ **'mistake' was on purpose.**


	9. Chapter 9: Shields up

**I THOUGHT YOU HATED ME**

 _Friday 11th September 2015_

 _ **Chapter nine: Shields up**_

* * *

It's been four days since I broke up with Uriah. He and Marlene eat in a table in the corner of the cafeteria, and most people in the school bullies them. I feel sorry for them. I've seen how the guys hit Uriah with their shoulders, or how the girls murmur slut at Marlene's back. When we do teams to play dodgeball, no one selects Uriah until the end, even when he is hell of a good player. He always seems to be mad, and Marlene doesn't give a fuck about anything.

I never thought things would be this bad for them.

"What are you thinking about Tris?" Four asks me.

Four.

Four and I have got closer to each other since I broke up with Uriah. He has been helping me at the library with my punishment every day this week, and he has been nothing but kind. Everybody in the school makes bets about how long it will take for us to be the next _Epic Couple,_ what does nothing but add pressure to the thing. I don't know if Four feels the same, but in his eyes I can see he is happier than he could ever be. I don't think he likes me. I don't like him either. Thanks to God I don't have to go to his house anymore, since we finally finished the project and gave it to Ms. Matthews.

"Tris?"

"Oh yeah," I say "What was the question?"

He laughs and puts a copy of _Pride and Prejudice_ in the shelf of _Classics._

"I asked you what you were thinking about." He says "So?"

"I wasn't thinking about anything" I tell him while I walk to the bookshelf of Science Fiction. "Just… _things"_

"Things is something" He says, but doesn't follow me.

There is still half an hour for classes to begin so there's no one at the library but us. That's why we don't mind talking to each other this loud. If there was people, we'd have to whisper or we wouldn't be able to talk at all. That's why we chose to come to help before school instead of after.

"Well, yeah" I say "But there's some things that aren't important"

"Mhm" He says "So that means you don't want to tell me what you were thinking"

 _Idiot. He knows me too well._

"Stop being so pushy" I say "Is not important"

"If you were thinking about it, it is" Replies Four.

"If that helps you sleep at night" I say "But I am not telling you"

"Of course you aren't" he says and I cannot tell if he is being sarcastic or not.

We finish putting the books in order and we sit in a table of the library.

"So how's it going?" I ask Four, because I really don't like being in silence with Four around.

It gives me time to think about him.

"Good" He says "Are you okay, Tris?"

"Yes" I say "Why?"

"You're acting weird" He says. "You know, not like normal Tris. More like weird, Tris"

"Kidnapped by aliens kind of weird, or distracted kind of weird?"

"Distracted" he says

I sigh.

"I feel like we were too harsh on Uriah"

Four rolls his eyes.

"Well, we weren't" I say "But all the school is. And I feel guilty"

"Then don't" He says "Is not your fault all the school did that."

"It kind of is" I say

"Don't worry" Four says "In one week one new gossip will be over everyone's head and they will forget everything"

"You sure?" I ask with hopeful eyes.

"Yeah" He says. I can see he is lying to me, but I appreciate it.

"Thank you" I say "For being supportive"

"Is the less I can do" He says "I mean, you covered up for me when Nita blamed me for the joke."

I roll my eyes and push him playfully.

"Get over it" I say "You don't have to thank me."

"Of course I do" He says "Thanks to you my dad didn't get me expelled"

I laugh.

"Would your dad really do that?" I ask

"Ok course he would" Four says "He didn't kick me out before because he didn't have enough reasons"

"I like your dad" I say "He is hard and strict, but he manages to be kind and selfless at the same time"

Four sighs.

"Yeah, he is." Four says "He is always hard and strict with me though. But I guess that's my fault"

I put a hand on his back.

"Nothing is your fault" I say "I'm sure he loves you. No matter how many pranks you do on his school"

He smiles but doesn't say anything.

"So you haven't tell me how are things in Four's world" I say "I don't mind if you tell me about your sluts. Just don't give me details or-"

Four starts laughing.

"What is so funny?"

"You seriously think I'd talk to you about them?" He asks.

I feel offended.

"Why not?" I ask "I am not that innocent"

"Of course you aren't" He says smiling.

"Four!" I say standing up. "I am not that innocent!"

I am getting mad at him. Does he seriously think I am a girl or something?

"I bet one thousand dollars" Four says slowly "That you are a virgin"

My cheeks go red but I keep the frown between my eyebrows.

"FOUR!"

He starts laughing.

"See, you can't even hear that word without panicking" He says still laughing. "I bet Uriah was your first kiss"

I cross my arms over my chest.

"What?" He asks "Isn't it true?"

"Do you care?"

"No." Four says.

"Jerk" I say "You are wrong if you think I am innocent. I could be hot and sassy if you wanted."

"You are sassy all the time. And hot" He says and I try not to change my expression "But that doesn't mean you are not innocent. For example, you got all red the other day when we were doing the Project…"

I get even redder and I cover my face with my hands.

Four starts laughing again.

"Is it so obvious?" I ask.

He thinks for a moment.

"Well, is not like the word _virgin_ is written in your forehead" He says and laughs.

"Four!" I yell "I meant it" I get my hands off my face and look at him. His face turns serious and he examines me.

"No, it isn't" He says. "If I didn't know you as I do, I'd say you are nothing but innocent. You strike me as the kind of girl who is not afraid of anything. And I bet everyone thinks the same as I"

I try not to smile.

He stand up and walks toward me.

"Sorry four laughing" Four says "It's just funny how you are able to yell at Nita, to throw food on your ex-boyfriend and take the blame for a prank but you'd get red and run away if I say ' _se-'"_

"I don't need to hear that" I say cutting him off.

"Okay. I embarrassed you enough for today" Four says and smiles "See you later"

He walks out the library and I stay inside trying to cool my cheeks.

The rest of the day isn't really interesting. Now that things are settled between Four and me, and I eat with the popular people, I don't have enemies to worry about. Except Uriah and Marlene of course, but I don't think of them as enemies. I'm just mad at them. And I don't think I'll be friends with them ever again. At least not with Marlene. I don't want to take the risk. Maybe she suddenly leaves Uriah and runs toward Four to hook up with him.

What?

And why should I care about Four?

Never mind. As I was saying, being popular is a lot more boring than I thought. More interesting than my old status though. But I can't talk about the people I hate, because it's always someone in our group or someone in the group knows them, and they're likely to tell them. Also, I have to bear with all the bullshit comments that Lauren and Molly do on the _losers_ as they call them.

"You've seen Marlene shoes?" Lauren asks.

"Oh my Gosh, yes." Molly says "They are so _lame_ "

And they're favorite person to talk bullshit about is Marlene.

"I know, right?" Christina agrees "Hanging out with Susan and those _stiffs_ must be really driving her crazy"

The worst part of hanging out with them, is that as more days pass by, I realize Christina was made to fit with the popular people. She enjoys talking about good fashion, hot gossip and lame people. I can see the spark in her eyes when she talks with Molly and Lauren about how ' _so not cool'_ is that sweater someone is wearing. Or when they talk about how amazingwas the last episode of Pretty Little Liars. Sometimes I feel like she'd like better to be with them than with me. Lynn talks with us sometimes, especially with me. Lately I hang out more with her than anyone. Both of us are not girly enough to be with Christina, Molly and Lauren. When it used to be just Lynn, Marlene, Christina and me, there was some kind of personalities balance. Now that balance is gone. That's why I don't blame Lynn for hanging out with Shauna and Zeke instead of us.

"I used to like her style" Molly says "But now…"

"She hangs out with the lame people" Christina says "And she is becoming _lame"_

"Susan is my friend" I tell them, especially Christina. "And Marlene has those shoes since freshman year. She did not just _change_ her style."

I remember it because Zeke's mom, Hanna, gave them to her to give her luck in her first year of High School. She gave me a dress, because she said I needed to be a little girlier and she also wished me luck. She didn't give anything to Christina though, that's why I don't mention it.

"Susan is your friend?" Lauren asks me "Why are you friends with her?"

"Because she is my neighbor" I say simply "I know her since I can remember"

"Aww… that's so _cute_ " Molly says honestly "I think I like her a little more now. I just realized her clothes are like Marley's in _'Glee'_ "

"You're right!" Lauren says "If she had brown her I'd be her fan."

"Hell yes." Molly says.

"Well girls." Christina says. "Tris and I've got to go. She is helping me to get ready"

"Cool" Lauren says "See you at the party"

"Yeah" Molly says "I wish you could go, Tris."

"Yeah," Lauren agrees "But don't worry, we'll have fun in your honor"

Christina agrees and they say some more goodbyes before we finally go.

We walk towards the parking lot, and when we are finally far away enough so Lauren and Molly can't hear us, I talk.

"You love talking to them" I tell Christina in neutral tone.

"They're cool" She says.

Just when I am about to tell Christina that I think is wrong talking bullshit about her ex-friend, Nita appears in my visual field and she starts walking toward me and Christina. She shoves everyone and they all move, creating a straight line for her to find Christina and me.

This is not good.

"Beatrice Prior" She says angry when she finds me. "What is this?" She shows me a photo of me and Four in the library. We are looking at each other but we are not talking, and honestly… it looks like we are about to kiss

Who took that fucking photo?

And if they were at that moment in the library what else did they heard?

 _On my Gosh._

"Nita, is not what it looks like" I say. I know I shouldn't be explaining this to her, but I promised not to take Four away from her.

"Then what is it?" She yells taking a step closer to me.

"We were arranging books" I say calmly and innocently "Someone just took that photo in the wrong moment"

"Wrong moment my ass" She says "You are hooking up with Four, aren't you little slut?"

Everyone gasps including Christina, and I am sure as hell someone is already recording.

"Hey, take a step back control freak" I say pushing her back. Thanks to God, she is not wearing heels and she is just two or three inches taller than me. "Four is not your boyfriend, if I wanted to hook up with him, I could"

People murmur _wow_ 's and _burn_ 's after I say it and then the uncomfortable silence comes back.

"You promised you wouldn't take him away from me" Is the only thing Nita manages to say.

"And I won't" I say "You can have him If you want, I don't mind. I could even give it to you with gift wrap and everything, but stop overacting"

"I am not overacting!" She says "You blame Uriah for cheating on you, but it's not been even a week and you are already being all lovey dovey with Four. You're such a selfish bitch"

"I learned it from you, Nita" I say "And I am not with Four. We are just _friends._ I don't even like him, so you and you're low esteem can take a rest"

She slaps me and I slap her back when her hand leaves my face.

" _Fight, fight, fight, fight"_ Everyone cheers.

The school cannot punish us. We are out of school right now.

She tries to punch me in the nose, but I block her and hit her in the stomach hard. She bends and gasps to get her air back, but she kicks me inches below the knee and makes me stumble. She gets her opportunity and grabs my head to shove my face into the wall, but I throw a backwards kick and she falls in her back to the ground.

 _Thanks God Four, taught me how to do that._

I get over her and punch her in the nose and over the eye two or three times, before she slaps me hard and gets me off her. Then I am about to run toward her again, when I feel someone's hand grabbing me and pulling me away from her.

"Enough" Zeke's voice says, while he grabs Nita to stop her.

 _She's such a lying bitch._

"Now, everyone go to your houses, there's nothing to see here" Four says behind me, and as usually everyone listens to him.

"Tris, are you okay?" Four asks me and turns me around to check my face.

"Yeah, just one or two scratches" I say looking at the ground.

"Does this hurt?" He says and touches me carefully in the corner of my eyebrow and I instantly back away.

"Yeah" I say wincing "It does"

"Sorry" He says.

"I'm sorry too" I tell him, and I honestly don't know why. "I didn't mean to get in a fight"

"Yeah, I know you are sorry" He says inexpressive, though I know he is a little angry. "Tris, you shouldn't let Nita provoke you"

"I know this will sound childish" I say "But she kind of slapped me first"

"Well, yeah" Four says "I saw that, but at the end Nita ended way more beaten than you"

"Well, then she should think about who she messes with" I say

Four tries to hide his smirk with a frown but he doesn't succeeds.

"Are you okay, Tris?" Zeke asks from behind. I turn around. I almost forgot Zeke was here too.

"No" Four answers "She has a bruise forming in her forehead, a cut in the eyebrow and probably three gallons of stupidity in the brain"

"I am okay" I say and roll my eyes at Zeke "Just a little-"

"Stupid" Four says

"I agree with that" Zeke says

"Thanks for the support" I say dripping sarcasm

"I don't want to leave you like this, but we have to get going" Zeke says "We have to get ready for the Homecoming Dance" he gestures to Four and him.

"It's okay" I say "I didn't know you had a date, Four"

"I didn't" He says "But Zeke got me one somehow"

I laugh.

"I'll call you later to see how it went with your mom" Zeke tells me.

"I'll be okay" I whine.

"Bye, Tris" He says and waves.

"Bye" I say and wave them back.

I look for Christina and we go to her house to help her get ready. She talks about how awesome the fight between me and Nita was. I tell her it wasn't that awesome and I don't want to talk about it, that's when she finally drops it. I feel nostalgic all the time I am with her because I feel like she doesn't give a fuck about what I think about the fight, she just cares about the fact that everyone saw it and everyone will be talking about it on Monday.

Lately I feel like she is just my friend because she thinks I am popular.

She is becoming just as the people I hate.

When she finally finishes getting ready, I say goodbye and walk to my house because Christina didn't want me to be there when Will arrived. I start thinking about how so many things have changed and how some things that I never thought would happen are happening. I used to think Uriah and I would graduate still being the Perfect Epic couple. I never thought about marrying him because it was ridiculous thinking that we would last that much, but I did expect us to last a little longer than we did.

I also realize I never thought I would be able to stop hating Four, let alone talking to him or being his friend. If someone had told me all of this will happen and that Four would become my best friend I would have laughed at them and told them to go and see a doctor.

I arrive at my house and thanks to God there's no one home. Caleb probably is already in his way to get Susan for a date before Homecoming. My mom is probably shopping groceries and Dad is surely still working on his office. I go upstairs and take a shower, and I try to wash off the dried blood on my eyebrow. It still hurts but it's somehow bearable.

I get out of the shower and change on a clean grey T-shirt that reads ' _NORMAL PEOPLE SCARE ME'_ in capital white letters, and a pair of pink flowered pajama shorts.

I open my laptop and I see a bunch of notification on Facebook.

I click on the notification icon and read them.

 _-Four Eaton asked you a request on Candy Crush_

 _-Ezekiel Pedrad and 164 people more like your profile photo_

 _-Noah Anderson, Lynn Young and 84 people more made a comment in a post where you are tagged in_

 _-H.S.H.G. made a post where you are tagged in._

The last thing I needed.

I click on the post.

" _Nita Colucci #Slut and Tris Prior #Hero have a fight in the parking lot"_

 _Today, Friday 11th of September, Nita Colucci (The slut who thinks she is awesome) and Tris Prior (Our hero and favorite diva) had a fight at the parking lot at the end of the school. Our always trust worthy sources said Nita was furious and was looking for Tris, who was oblivious at whatever was making Nita mad. They told us that Nita started yelling at Tris and she tried to calm her down, but when Nita slapped her she lost her temper._

 _We heard that the fight was about Four #SuperHot. Apparently Tris Prior promised Nita to help her be friends (or something more) with Four, but she failed, and instead somehow destiny brought Tris and Four together, instead of Four and Nita (Not that we blame destiny for selecting Tris #Cool over Nita #Lame) This made Nita want to take revenge, and that's why she showed up today at the parking lot ready to give Tris a good punch._

 _Unfortunately for Nita, Tris was better at punches than she thought and Nita ended up pretty beaten up, unlikely Tris that got out of the fight with just a cut in the eyebrow._

 _We don't know anything else, since Four stormed in our #BitchesFight and told everyone to mind their own business._

 _Will Nita attack again?_

 _Are Four and Tris really together?_

 _How will Uriah Pedrad #LameX react to this?_

 _If you wanna see the fight click on the video below._

 _#Love &War #NewBoyfriend #Fight #FourTris_

When I am about to see the video I hear the ring bell of the door.

Who could be at this time?

I go downstairs and open the door right away, before I remember I should ask who it is.

"Nice pajamas" Says Four once he eyes me up and down. "I should have known you were the type of girl who doesn't use matching pajamas"

"Of course it had to be you" I say. Four is dressing in his suit for the Homecoming dance and his tie is perfectly accommodated around his neck. "What are you doing here Four? I thought you had a date"

"Yeah" He says "She was lame"

"Jerk" I say and roll my eyes.

"Can I come in?" He asks

"No, you can't leave your date" I say and close the door, but Four's shoe stops it midway.

"She's a slut, she'll find someone to have fun with." Four says matter of fact.

"You're still the same, Eaton" I say and open the door. He walks in and as if he was in his own home he sits in the sofa and puts his feet in the coffee table.

I don't know why I'm surprised.

"Nice house" Four says "I like it"

"It's a shame" I say "Because if you don't get your feet off my table you are leaving"

He smiles and gets his feet off.

"So why are you here, Four?" I ask him

"I told you" He says "I didn't feel like going on a date with someone I don't care about"

"I don't know why your answer doesn't surprise me" I say and sigh.

"Because you are getting to know me" He says and smiles sideways.

"Don't give me your flirty smile" I say "Save that for your sluts"

He laughs.

"See? That's why I prefer being with you than with her" He says "When could I get someone that does sassy remarks as yours? Never"

I roll my eyes but my heart melts a little.

I sit next to him in the sofa.

"So what, are we going to watch a movie or what?" Four asks

"I don't know" I say "I don't think is a good idea. My mom should be back anytime soon and you here is the last thing I need"

"Wow, someone is snappy today" He says "Don't worry. She'll love me. I'm sure"

I roll my eyes.

Four grabs the control, turns on the TV and clicks on the Netflix icon.

"What's you Netflix password?" He asks.

"Like I am giving it to you" I say and force him to look away when I put the password. Finally he does as I put the password and I start looking for a good movie on Netflix.

We end up watching some horror movie I don't know but I am too busy in my own thoughts to focus in the movie. After an hour the movie finishes and my mom and dad haven't arrived yet.

"Are you scared?" Four asks me.

"I am scarier than that movie in the mornings" I say

Four laughs.

"So, did you already saw H.S.H.G.'s post?" Four asks.

"Almost impossible not to" I say

We stay in silent for a minute or two, and I can feel the nervousness invading my body.

"Why are you so against at being with me?" Four asks "You know, like being my girlfriend"

I laugh.

"Is just not happening." I say

"Why?" Four asks "We could at least try"

"Try?" I ask "Try my ass"

"I could if we were together" He says

It takes me two full seconds to process what he said and I slap him when I finally understand.

The jerk laughs as he always does.

"I will never be in a relationship with you, Four" I say "You and all the school should get over it"

"Why?" He asks and get his face closer to mine "Am I too handsome for you?"

"You wish" I say tilting my back to get my face away from him. "I'd never be with someone like you"

"Why?" He says and he closer, forcing me to lie in the sofa, in order to get away from him what is the most stupid idea I've ever had now that I think about it.

"Because you are an idiot" I say in neutral tone, not showing how nervous I feel.

"An idiot would do this?" He asks.

And of course, after that he kisses me.

And since I am an idiot I kiss him back.

* * *

 **No comments. Tris is really stupid isn't she?**

 **REVIEW IF YOU HATE NITA COLUCCI. By the way I got that last name from a Mexican drama show. Not that you guys care of course.**

 **REVIEW. #LongestChapterSoFar.**

 **Don't be scared guys. I don't usually use hashtags (I think is kind of weird) but today I felt like it.**


	10. Chapter 10: Taking Chances

**I THOUGHT YOU HATED ME**

* * *

 _Monday 14th September 2015_

* * *

 _ **Chapter ten: Taking Chances**_

* * *

Uriah was right when he told me four weeks ago that Four was great a kisser. And he was also right about being jealous of him. Four kissed me and butterflies exploded in all my body. It was nothing like the other kisses I had shared with Uriah. Uriah's kisses were sweet and calm, Four's kisses were the opposite. They were fire. They were like electricity. Once you touch it, it won't let you go. He was the one who finished the kiss though. God knows that if he hadn't stop, I wouldn't have either. I was way too surprised and occupied to think about stopping. When he finished the kiss, my head was a mess. I wasn't thinking clearly, I was like in a dream, so that's why my _stupid things to say_ filter wasn't working well, and my instincts had to ruin everything by saying a stupid thing.

"Like I said before you rudely kissed me, we should leave it in friendship" I said. I don't know why I said it yet. I guess my mind is so used to rejecting Four, that it was it's first instinct.

Four nodded when I was already regretting my words.

"I think I finally agree with you" Four said, and he got off me, what made me feel incredibly cold.

I didn't know what hurt more at that moment. Beings so stupid to reject Four when I finally liked him a little, or the fact that Four had agreed with me when I rejected him. He really didn't want to have anything with me. The try had fail for him, when for me it had been the best kiss I'd had so far.

I laughed to brush the tension off.

"You're such and idiot" I said "Please let's not do that ever again" This I know why I said it. I said it because I wasn't going to tell him I had liked the kiss when he didn't, instead I had to act like I act like I really thought the kiss was awful and we couldn't work together.

"You're right as always, Tris" Four said "The good thing of this, is know we both can live knowing we aren't missing anything if we don't date each other. Do you want to see another movie?"

That's how the topic ended, and he left a half hour after, when the movie was just beginning and my parents' car pulled in the driveway. He went upstairs to my room, and waited for my mom and dad to walk in the house so he could finally jump off the window. When my parents pointed at Four's car parked in front of our house, and asked me if I knew whose car was that, I said I had no idea and two seconds after the car left with Four in it.

I haven't told anyone about this, and the anxiety it's driving me crazy. Telling Christina about it is not an option anymore, since now she would trade my secrets for some hot gossip from Lauren and Molly. I've considered about telling Lynn several times, and no matter how weird it sounds, I have even thought about telling Uriah. He was my friend before we were a couple, and I used to tell him about my problems.

Well, not anymore.

I sigh and try to focus in whatever Ms. Matthews is trying to teach us but the memories of last Friday's night don't stop coming to my head. And the fact that Four is sitting two sits away from me doesn't helps at all.

"Ms. Prior" Ms. Matthews says. "Do you mind answering my question?"

"Mmmm… no" I say "What's the question?"

"Why do you think that Fitzwilliam Darcy was rude to Elizabeth all the time?"

I am surprised at myself when I realize I know the answer to this question.

"He wasn't rude to her." I say "That's what Elizabeth thought, based on the behavior she observed the first time they met, but actually, if anyone was rude to anyone, it would be Elizabeth. She would refuse to dance with Darcy, even when he was being chivalrous with her, and she rejected his marriage offer in the rudest possible way"

I can see that even Ms. Matthews is surprised at my comment.

"So," She says "Do you think Ms. Bennet did the right thing?"

"Of course she did" I say "She had the right to be rude to him. He underestimated her and he deserved all the rejections he got from Elizabeth."

"I don't agree with you" Four says. "How could Darcy deserve that? Do you realize that he offered Elizabeth the best opportunity in her life? He offered her a house, money and love. What else could she need?"

"Well, but Darcy offered it to her the worst way possible" I say "He said her family was a shame, and marrying her would be a shame for him and his family too. He made it sound as if he didn't have no other option but ask her to marry him."

"Well, because he didn't." Four says "He loved her too much to don't ask her to marry him"

"Well, then he could have been a little more romantic, don't you think?" I say

"How could he, when he was fighting all his good instincts?" Four asks.

"Good instincts?" I ask "So are you saying that marrying Elizabeth was a mistake?"

"Well, yeah" Four says "His family's reputation went down a little when they married."

"Well, if he loved her he wouldn't have cared"

"It's not his fault Elizabeth was a bitch to him all the time" Four says and everyone gasps "How could he love her fully if she was like that?"

"How could _she_ love him if he was always criticizing everything and everyone, including her family? He was being a jerk" say

"Enough" Ms. Matthews says. "The conclusion is that Darcy was too proud to accept his love for Elizabeth, and Elizabeth was prejudging too much Darcy to love him. Both of them were stubborn and idiots, but at the end Ms. Bennet was the only one who could soften Mr. Darcy, and Darcy was the only man good enough for Elizabeth. So they were meant to be together, and they managed not to kill each other"

The bell rings and I sigh.

Now I remember why I can't stand Four. He is always fighting me, even if he knows I am right. Oh, right! And the fact that he plays with the girls and everyone.

Stupid jerk.

"What a discussion, uh?" Will asks when I stand up. I almost forgot he was in AP English too.

"I hate Four" I say and sigh. We start walking toward the cafeteria.

"I thought you guys were friends now" He says confused.

"We were" I say "I mean, we are. But I guess old habits die hard"

"Good point" He says "I wanted to talk to you about something" Will says looking at the floor. He stops in his tracks and waits for all the people to keep walking, so one hears us. Once the hallway is almost empty he turns to me.

"What is it?" I ask "Is everything okay?" Will is not the kind of guy who tells people his problems just because. It's usually because he needs an advice.

"I don't think so" He says. "You've noticed that Christina has been acting a little…"

"Bitchy?" I ask "Yes, I've had"

Will smiles.

"Yeah, well. I've had too" He says "And I don't know if it was a good decision, but I broke up with her."

"Say what?" I ask surprised. "But, but you guys… have been dating for years"

"Yeah I know" Will says scratching the back of his neck "But it was matter of time. Better sooner than later"

"And how did Christina take it?" I ask

"Don't know" He says "She asked how could I break up with her if she was so awesome and blah blah blah"

I laugh.

"Bitchy Christina is predictable" I say

"Yeah, anyways, if I didn't break up with her, she would have broken up with me." He says "Saying I was ruining her reputation or some bullshit like that"

I laugh.

"Well, you did the right thing my friend" I say "Now, let's go, before they notice we aren't there"

We walk toward the cafeteria and sit in our usual place.

"How was class?" Lynn asks

"Nice" I lie "I have something to tell you" I whisper "But not here"

"Okay" Lynn says. "After school?"

Before I answer her, an annoying music sounds in all the cafeteria, and I know that Marcus has some new announcement for us.

 _Teenagers, listen to me. I know there's still four months left for the Winter Dance…_

Cheers and squeals from all the girls sound in all the cafeteria and I have to put my hands over my ears so I don't go deaf.

"Why are they so excited?" I ask loudly to Lynn, over the excited squeals.

"Because all of them want to be the Queen of the prom." Lynn says rolling her eyes. "For some reason the school always does such a big even in winter. Almost as big as the Prom"

I nod.

 _But since everyone is so excited to know who will be the winter queen and king this year, I thought I could tell you the girls and guys nominated for this year._

Everyone cheers, and for some reason their happiness is contagious and I laugh and cheer too. Lynn looks at me as if I am crazy but she smiles.

 _So, the first nominated for the Winter King this year is from Senior Year and his name is….._

 _Four Eaton._

Everyone in the school cheers and Four has his sideways smile, while Zeke says something to him. Four looks at me and his smile turns normal. Not flirty or smug, just a smile. I smile back and give him a thumbs up. I just can't seem to hate him as much as I'd like.

 _The second guy nominated for the Winter King this year is from Sophomore Year, and his name is…_

 _Uriah Pedrad._

Some people gasp and from Uriah's table some people clap. Uriah has a smile in his face and all the other people is amazed.

Even I.

I don't hear who the third is nominated for the Winter King, because I am too busy thinking about Uriah. If we still were boyfriend and girlfriend I would have cheered as crazy, along with our friends, and we would have made a party just to celebrate. Uriah would have kissed me in front of everyone and everyone would have told us to cut the love birds show. We would have laughed and kiss again.

But we are not even friends anymore.

I get out of my thoughts when all the school cheers and looks at me. Zeke gives me a thumbs up and Lynn congratulates me.

"What? What's going on?" I ask Lynn confused.

"You got nominated!" She yells "You're the first nominated, you idiot" She laughs.

I smile automatically and high five Lynn.

 _The second nominated for Winter Queen, is form Junior year and her name is…._

 _Nita Colucci._

Nita's table cheers and all the other people stays silent. Nita smiles but then catches my stare and glares at me. I roll my eyes.

 _The third nominated to be the Winter Queen is from Sophomore Year and her name is Susan Black._

Some people clap, me among them. Susan smiles and seems surprised at the fact she could be the Winter Queen. I am honestly happy for her.

 _I remember you that you were the ones who selected the nominated people with your voted, so I hope this year I don't get a bunch of girls in my office, whining about the selection. Hope you like the results._

The announcement finishes and everybody starts talking.

"I can't believe Uriah was nominated" Lauren says. "Who would have voted for him?"

"Remember that the votes were two weeks ago" Will says "That was before Uriah had a bad reputation"

"Before he cheated on me" I say and everyone looks at me with pity "You can say it guys, it's nothing new"

"Well, before Uriah cheated on Tris" Will corrects himself.

"I still can't believe it" Molly says.

"No one can" Christina says "But the most unbelievable things is that just one girl and one boy from our table got nominated"

"I know, right?" Lauren asks. "I was nominated in Junior Year, I don't know why this year I wasn't nominated."

"Well, I am not surprised" Molly says "I have never been nominated, and I'm a Senior."

"Don't worry, Molly" Zeke says "Most of us have never been nominated"

"Yeah" Shauna says "And the only one nominated from Senior Year was Four"

"That's right" Zeke says "Four has been nominated three consecutive years. And he won all of them"

"I'm too good to resist" He says and smirks.

"So if you win this time" I say "It'll be your fourth victory. Funny"

Zeke laughs.

"So one has mentioned the fact that Tris got nominated" Lynn says and claps. Everyone follows her and I smile.

"Yeah" Christina says without much conviction "Congratulations"

"Oh God," Lauren says "You'll let us help you with your dress and everything for the Winter Dance, right?"

"Mhmm, yeah" I say "Why not?"

Lauren and Molly claps excited. They seem truly happy, unlike Christina that seems a little bit jealous.

"Imagine what would happen if you win" Shauna says "Then Four and you would be King and Queen"

I laugh.

"What makes you think Four will win?" I ask

"I always win" Four says and gives me a smirk.

I roll my eyes at him.

"You're such an idiot, Eaton" I say and everyone laughs.

"I am" Four says "But I am also a hell of a good kisser" He looks at me and winks. Everyone laughs, but of course I don't, because I know exactly what he means by that. My cheeks go red and I try to laugh so no one wonders anything. The last thing I need is someone finding out that Four and I kissed.

" _I will never be in a relationship with you, Four" I say "You and all the school should get over it"_

" _Why?" He asks and get his face closer to mine "Am I too handsome for you?"_

" _You wish" I say tilting my back to get my face away from him. "I'd never be with someone like you"_

" _Why?" He says and he gets closer, forcing me to lie in the sofa, in order to get away from him, what is the most stupid idea I've ever had now that I think about it._

" _Because you are an idiot" I say in neutral tone, not showing how nervous I feel._

" _An idiot would do this?" He asks._

 _And of course, after that he kisses me._

I shake my head, to make the memories fly away, and for some reason it works.

The classes pass between my fingers like water, and in what seems like a blink of an eye, it's the end of a school day again. Since music is our last period, Four and I walk together to the exit, talking about how good was the horror movie we saw. I can't help but look at his lips now and then, or his eyes. Usually I forget that he is the Principal's son, but his eyes' color betray him. Now that I think about it, I've been in the Principal's house three times at least. And who know how many times more I'll be there again.

"Tris" He says "Are you even listening to me?" Four asks.

"Of course I am" I lie.

"Yeah" He says "So what was I talking about?"

"Hmm… something stupid I guess" I say. He rolls his eyes. "Okay, I wasn't listening to you, what were you saying?"

"What were you thinking about?" He asks

 _You._

"Nothing you care about" I say "You haven't tell me what you were talking about."

"You are better at kissing than at lying" He says and winks.

"Oh God, Four" I say covering my face with my hands. "Leave it alone"

"Okay" He says "But this is not over"

Then, before I can ask what he means, Uriah appears in front of us. Four glares at him and Uriah holds his stare for a long moment. I feel like I am losing some part of the story, like they know something I don't. Have they talked lately? I don't know what's going on, but I feel weird.

"Tris," Uriah says, but doesn't stop looking at Four. "I wanted to talk to you, _alone_ "

"Whatever you have to tell her I am staying" Four says.

"It's not your business." Uriah says.

"Uriah, please" I say "He can listen whatever you have to tell me. There's not a lot about me he doesn't know"

This makes Four smirk and Uriah frown. I sigh and urge Uriah to continue.

"Well, I wanted to say sorry" He says "I know I can't blame you for not forgiving me, but… I'd like to be friends again. I know you, and I know you don't give second chances, but…"

"I have to think about it, Uriah" I say. "You cheated on me with my elementary school best friend."

"I know but…" He starts but I cut him off.

"And you also lied to me about a lot of things" I say

"Tris, please" He says

"Please what?" I ask

"This has been really hard to me" He says "No one talks to me but Marlene and Susan. Even Zeke ignores me. I've been trying to text you, call you but you just won't answer me, that's why I needed to talk to you in person.

I frown.

"I have not received any of your calls or messages, Uriah" I tell him.

He frowns.

"That's impossible" He says "I've been calling you day and…" Then he looks at Four. "You. What did you do, Four?"

"What I had to" He says "I wasn't going to let you bother her"

My frown gets even deeper.

 _What?_

"You have no right to get between our relationship" Uriah says a little too loud, and he catches everybody's attention.

 _Good, another fight._

"What relationship, Uriah?" Four asks "You've been cheating on her since God knows when, there's nothing left of your relationship"

I can see this is not going for a good way, and I don't want my name to appear again in H.S.H.G.

"Hey guys, stop it" I say but they don't listen to me.

"But you had no right to hide my calls and messages form her!" Uriah says and takes a stop closer to him.

Four laughs.

"I didn't" He says and puts his face closer to Uriah's. "Zeke did" He whispers so low that I barely hear him.

Uriah huffs.

"You are an asshole" Uriah says

"It's enough" I yell.

"So are you." Four says.

"Stop messing with me and my girlfriend, Four" Uriah says

"She's not your girlfriend anymore" Four says "So I recommend you to step back" Then he pushes him.

"Four, stop it!" I yell and grab his shoulder but he pushes my hand away.

Uriah pushes him back and I step back.

They start punching each other and soon, they both fall to the ground and keep fighting.

* * *

"You're an idiot" I tell Four while I clean his wounds.

"I was defending you" He says

"I don't need to be defended" I say "Especially not from Uriah. And look at you, you look awful"

"But I'm still handsome, right?" He asks as if he's really worried.

I laugh.

Four has a cut in the lip and one in the eyebrow, his knuckles are wounded and his cheekbone looks a little purple. His nose was bleeding half hour ago and his T-shirt is all covered in sweat and dirt. Uriah looks certainly worse than Four, but it was a pretty fair fight. Is obvious that after this I didn't forgave Uriah, but I did stop the fight. I had to put between both of them, and thanks to God none of them hit me.

 _Four and Uriah are again on their feet, but Uriah's lip is still bleeding and he looks dizzy. Four looks pretty bad himself, but that doesn't stop him from hitting Uriah again. He is about to hit him again when I run and put myself in front of Uriah, with my hands in front of my face. Four's fist stops midway, and I sigh._

" _Stop it" I say "It's enough of fights."_

" _So that means you forgive me?" Uriah asks._

 _I turn around and resist the urge to slap him._

" _I'll think about it" I say and then I take Four out of the school._

"I'm sorry Tris" Four says when I finish cleaning the cut in his eyebrow.

"It's okay" I say "But you shouldn't have hidden the calls from me. I still don't know how you did it"

"I told you Zeke was the one who did it" Four says

"Because you told him to" I say

"It wasn't that hard" Says Four "He just changed the number Uriah had you registered for. Then all the messages would be sent to someone else."

"You're crazy" I say.

He whispers something.

"What?" I ask while I sit in a chair of his dinner room. And yes, I am in Four's house again. I drive all the way here with him.

"Nothing." He says. "Thanks for stopping the fight and coming here with me. Really"

"That's what friends are for" I say.

"That's what kissing buddies are for" He says smiling.

"Oh God" I say "We are not kissing buddies, because we are never kissing again"

"But we've already kissed three times" He says.

"That's not true" I say "We've only kissed one time in truth or dare, and the other time the Friday in my house"

"You forgot about this one" He says and he kisses me.

Again.

Then I kiss him back…

Again.

And I put my arms around his neck. He puts his hands on my waist and pulls me closer to him. I feel exactly the same thing I felt the last time I kissed him, and I can't seem to stop the kiss this time either.

What finally drives me to stop the kiss is thinking about how expertly his lips move. Of course they do. They've kissed almost all the school if not all. I pull away panting and then I push his arms away.

"Okay, we need to stop kissing" I tell him

"Why?" Four whines.

"Because you don't want to date, and I won't kiss constantly anyone I am not dating"

Four huffs.

"If you think you can make me one of your sluts, you are hell wrong" I say and I stand up.

"Tris, please don't leave" he says and grabs my hand.

I get my hand back and grab my things before I leave.

* * *

 **So, don't worry guys, they are not kissing again anytime soon, so if you were worried about me going too fast with their relationship you can calm down. Anyways, I really want to thank you all for the 72 followers I have, and for 59 lovely comments to this story. And also the 42 favorites. IMPORTANT: I am not writing any Four's POV chapters in the story, but when I finish it I'll let you vote for your four favorite chapters, and I'll write them in Four's POV, so start thinking about your favorite chapters, you guys.**

 **REVIEW. It motivates me to write. ;3**


	11. Chapter 11: Boys Don't Cry

**I THOUGHT YOU HATED ME**

* * *

 _Monday 14th -Tuesday 15th September 2015_

* * *

 _ **Chapter eleven: Boys Don't Cry**_

* * *

I walk away from Four's house feeling dizzy and confused, just like the last time I was there. The only difference now is that, thanks to God is not raining, and that I can't go to Christina's house looking for comfort. Every day, as my problems thicken and get more complicated the option of telling Lynn everything is more appealing. Still, I don't want to risk all the secrets that I'd have to tell her if I do. If I tell her everything I'd have to tell her that I kissed Four twice, I'd have to tell her that I didn't pull the prank off and I'd have to tell her that I almost kissed Four when I was still dating Uriah.

For the moment I will keep everything to myself.

I finally arrive at my house and close the door behind me and sigh.

"Are you okay, sweetheart?" My mom asks from the kitchen.

"Yeah, just tired" I say "Do you need any help?"

"Actually, I do" She says and turns and smiles at me "You remember that you father takes the accountancy of your and Caleb's school right?"

 _Oh my God._

 _Please, don't tell me Marcus is coming for dinner._

"Yeah, mum, I do" I say nervous "Why a-are you telling me this?"

"Are you sure you're okay, Beatrice?" She asks me, looking away from her task to look at me with a concerned frown.

"Yes I am, mom" I say and sit in one of the chairs of the kitchen.

"Well, as I was telling you…" She says and turns to the stove again "Marcus is coming to have dinner with us tonight-"

 _Kill me please._

"His family too?" I ask

"Of course they are, Beatrice" She says with a laugh "Now go and take a shower before they arrive. We don't want to cause a bad impression"

I sigh.

"I'm going mom" I say and walk upstairs to take a shower.

I take my towel and get in the shower after getting my clothes off. I take my long time, trying to avoid the dinner as much as I can. Why can't Four leave me alone? I just got out of his house, and now he is going to come to mine to keep making my life impossible. I wonder why everything always goes so wrong. I know that maybe I shouldn't have storm out of his house, but I wasn't going to let him think he can play me as he plays his sluts. I don't even like him that much, I can do much better than a high school playboy.

Eventually, when my fingers and toes are puffy from the water of the shower, I sigh and get out.

I towel dry my hair and comb it before grabbing the first dress I see from my closet and putting it on. It's the same dress I used on my first real date with Uriah. _Woah, thanks destiny. Can you make things any harder?_ I sigh for the tenth time this hour and put some black flats on. I decide to let my hair down and then I go downstairs to help mom.

Is not the first time Four and Marcus come to dinner. They used to come more frequently when I was younger, before I hated Four, and before he even called himself Four. Four and I never really talked during dinner, we were shy around each other but he and Caleb used to talk a lot. They would talk and talk while our parents discussed things about money. I remember I used to get jealous over Four for taking away my brother from me. Caleb started hating him too around middle school though, when rumors about Four being a womanizer started spreading. Even when we both already hated each other, his family and he still came a lot to our house. But one day, when Four was in his freshman year and I was still in middle school they just stopped coming, and they haven't come since then.

Until today.

"You didn't curl you hair." My mom says when I reach the kitchen. Usually, when anyone comes to dinner to our house, I curl my hair. She doesn't sounds angry or surprised. She is just making an statement.

"Yeah, not in the mood" I simply say "Is Caleb coming for dinner?" I ask

"Yeah, he is" Mom says. "He arrived right after you went upstairs. He should be here in any second."

I nod and prepare the table while my mom goes to her room to put make-up on.

"Hey there Beatrice" Caleb says from behind. I turn to him. If he is with me at the dinner it might be less complicated get through all this. Now that I look at my smiley brother, I don't know why I haven't thought about talking to him about my problems. Lately we don't talk as much as we did. Since I got paired up with Four at the second week of school, we haven't been talking as much as I'd like.

"Hey, Caleb" I say "How's it going?"

He rolls his eyes playfully.

"Is not like we don't go to the same school" He says "We see each other all the time, you don't have to ask 'how's it going?'"

"Well, I don't know" I say smiling "Susan got nominated for the Winter Queen. Did you already told her how you feel about her?"

Caleb eyes widen and he looks around to make sure my mom or dad aren't hearing.

"No, I haven't" He says "But I don't think right now is the right moment. She'll probably think I just like her for that Winter thing"

"So what are you going to do?" I ask "Wait until someone else does? Take the chance, Caleb."

"I already told you I don't want her to think I am interested in her popularity" He says

"Susan has a great heart" I tell him "If she likes you, she'll give you the chance. And then, you can show her that you are interested in something else than popularity" He seems to think about my words and finally he says.

"You give good advices"

"Maybe" I say "But I suck at following them"

He laughs because he knows it's true.

"So, you and Eaton, uh?" He asks and I flush.

"I don't know what you mean" I say and keep on making the table look good.

"You know exactly what I mean, Beatrice" He says laughing "Don't you trust me? I'd never sell your secrets for some gossip"

"I know" I say "But there's nothing between Four and me. I mean it" I still don't dare to look at him. Usually, his group of friends is the last in finding out about the good news and gossips in our school, so when Caleb or Susan know something about someone is because practically all the school already knows it. Also, it's a little weird that your brother hears gossips about you and some other guy.

"Well, maybe" He says "But there's a clearly chemistry between both of you"

"You're sick." I say "I hate him"

"Even when I am mad at Uriah for cheating on you…" My brother says ignoring my last comment "I still like him better than Four. So it's a good thing you are not dating him"

There's a knock on the door and my mom runs downstairs along with my dad and opens the door. Caleb and I stare at each other and try to look classed. I straighten my back and put some hairs behind my ear. Even when I still hate Four, I am anxious by how I look and now, I also realize I hope he thinks I look pretty. Now I curse myself for not curling my hair. Maybe Caleb is right, and there is really a chemistry between both of us. But like all chemistry projects, we'll probably explode.

I stop breathing when Marcus and his wife come in, but Four never does.

I keep staring at the doorway, waiting for him to come in, but he just never does.

What the hell?

Why didn't he come?

Is he avoiding me?

 _Well, I wouldn't blame him._

I get out of my daze when my brother nudges me, and I see my mom staring at me, and my dad glaring.

"Say hi, Beatrice" My brother whispers

 _I forgot to say hi._

"Oh, Mr. Eaton and Mrs. Eaton, I'm sorry" I say "I was a little distracted. Sorry for not welcoming you. How are you?"

Why didn't Four come? This isn't like him. The Four I know would have come, even to show me he doesn't give a shit about what happened and ignore me. But my Four doesn't do this. He doesn't skips a dinner just because he doesn't want to confront his problems. He isn't a coward, and surely there is a good reason why he didn't come.

"We are fine. Don't worry, Beatrice" Marcus says "It happens."

I nod and we walk toward the table. I look at Caleb and I realize he is as confused as I am. I can tell by the way he looks between Marcus and his wife as if he had never see them before. He is thinking about something, probably the same thing I was thinking since they walked in our house. _'Where the hell is Four?'_

"Well, Marcus" My dad says "I'm happy you decided to come and have dinner with us"

My mom serves the food while my dad and Marcus start talking about business. When I look at his wife, I realize she is not Evelyn. I used to love Evelyn when I was a kid. We used to talk to each other when Caleb and Four went to play in the living room, Marcus and my dad went to talk office and my mom washed the dishes. I didn't notice she did not have the same silky dark hair that Evelyn had, and I did not notice that her nose was too small to be Evelyn's. I was too distracted to realize she was not Four's mom.

That's when it hits me.

 _Marcus and Evelyn got divorced._

That's why Four isn't here.

I slap myself mentally. That's why Four hates his dad, and he never talks about him. All the little details that I have noticed about Four in the last month come to me in this little instant. I always let them go, even when I felt like I was missing something. Now I understand everything. Maybe that is also the reason why Four doesn't want to date. Because he doesn't want to go through what their parents went.

 _The break up._

* * *

The next day, the weather decided to match my mood with a big storm in the sky of Chicago, and my mind was as troubled just as that day's clouds.

The things Christina told me as we walked to class were out of my head as soon as they have entered. I didn't care if she had come back with Will and I did not care if Susan shoes were horrible today. The same happened with most of my classes. I didn't care about what the teachers had to teach. I just cared about Four and all the questions I started thinking about, yesterday in the night while I was trying to get some sleep. Four lives with his mom or does he lives alone? Why he hates Marcus so much? Does Marcus has something to do with Four's aggressive behavior? Why? Why? Why?

He can't seem to leave my mind.

"Hey, Tris" Lynn says, catching up with me while I walk to Ms. Matthews class. When Lynn takes a closer look to my face she says: "You look like shit, girl. What happened to you?"

I let an honestly laugh out.

Lynn sweet Lynn.

"Nothing. I'm fine, just tired" I lie.

"Good, because I have something to tell you" She says "I usually don't like gossip, but this one may be of interest for you"

"What is it?" I ask with a frown.

"Check this out" She says and shows me her phone.

She is in the page of H.S.H.G. and there's a new post. It was posted one hour ago and there's a video in it. I recognize the two persons in the video before I see their faces. _Uriah and Marlene._ They seem to be arguing and I read the title of the post before Lynn clicks on the video. _Uriah Is Hooking Up With Marlene, or Was It All a Misunderstanding?_

The video start and they are screaming at each other. Or at least Uriah is.

' _How can you be such a slut?'_ Uriah asks to Marlene waving his hands in desperation. They are in the girls' dressing rooms, obviously alone. I don't want to know why Uriah is there.

' _I'm not stupid, Uriah'_ Marlene says calmly. ' _I know you still love Tris and you are just with me because… well, I don't know why you are still with me but I know it has nothing to do with love. You despise me because I'm the reason why Tris broke up with you, so I don't understand why you are so mad at me because I slept with someone else if you don't give a fuck about me"_

"Woah" I say to Lynn. "What the hell?"

"Shhh" Lynn says and points to the video. I nod and keep seeing it.

" _-but I don't care, Marlene!"_ Uriah says. " _You cheated on me, and you were my only friend"_

" _Don't make it sound like you are the victim"_ Marlene says " _You should have known better. I mean, I stole my friend's boyfriend. What were you expecting? A loyal sweet prude girl? I'm sorry, but I am not Tris"_

Auch.

" _Well, I know I wasn't expecting you to turn your back on me"_ Uriah says.

" _We haven't kissed since Tris broke up with you, for God's sake!"_ Marlene says and I look at Lynn. She smiles at me. _"I have needs, Uriah, ya know"_

" _You are a slut"_ Uriah says.

" _It's ironic, how you were cheated on, by the person you cheated with…"_ Marlene says and laughs, ignoring Uriah's comment _"Payback is a bitch, isn't it?"_

" _Well, I inform you I am breaking up with you!"_ Uriah yells.

" _If there was something to break…"_ Marlene says _"I'd break up with you too"_

Then the camera records the floor and the video finishes.

"I think Uriah clearly deserves a second chance" Lynn says saving her phone in her front pocket "Or so I think. Marlene is still a slut, but she gave Uriah what he deserved."

"She did" I say "I think I hate her less for that." I sigh "About Uriah I don't know. If everything Marlene said was true, they haven't been together since one week ago, but Uriah hurt me so much, Lynn… I don't know if I can ever forgive him. I still love him… but it is not that easy"

Lynn nods and looks at the ground, then she gives me a pat on the back.

"Do what you think is right, Sis" Lynn says "I'll see ya on lunch"

I nod and say bye before heading to my English class. I sit in my usual place, and I find myself hoping Four skips class today. I usually like to confront my problems as soon as possible, but this… I think I need some time to think about what I am going to do about us.

If there is an _us_ to do something about.

The memory of hearing the proof of Uriah cheating on me is still fresh on my mind. I still remember the thick air inside the janitor's closet, and I still remember the rough wood of the door I was leaning on. I still remember Four's sharp breaths of fear and the tears burning behind my eyes. It seems unforgivable to me, but I can't deny that I miss Uriah. Even if it's just a week. We have never been apart so much time before, and as I spend more time with Four I realize he isn't anything like Uriah, and even if he started dating me… he could never replace him.

Ms. Matthews walks in the classroom and closes the door behind her, and still no sign of Four in the classroom.

"Okay young people, today we will discuss Shakespeare's play, Romeo and Juliet which was partly performed for the project by Molly and Will. Will, do you mind telling us a little about the play?"

"No, I don't mind" Will says politely "Romeo and Juliet is one of Shakespeare's greatest plays and it has been so famous for such a tragic end, but I think it remind us-"

I zone off, and I don't hear the last part of Will's speech.

I have things more important to think about.

I get my phone out of my pocket, and before I know what I am doing I text Uriah.

 _ **10:22- You:**_ _Can we talk?_

I look at Ms. Matthews to make sure she isn't looking at me, and then I look at my phone again. If I am not mistaken, Uriah is English class, with Mrs. Jackson, an old lady who sleeps half of her own class. That means Uriah probably is on his phone too.

 _ **10:26- Uriah:**_ _now u want to talk to me? -_-_

 _ **10:26-Uriah:**_ _what do u want to talk 'bout?_

I sigh.

 _ **10:27- You:**_ _Us…_

 _ **Uriah is writing…**_

 _ **Uriah is on line.**_

 _ **Uriah is writing…**_

 _ **Uriah is on line.**_

 _ **Uriah is writing…**_

I roll my eyes my eyes and almost laugh at Uriah's confused behavior. Finally my phone vibrates and I look at Uriah's message.

 _ **10:29- Uriah:**_ _what about us?_

Two minutes to write that? Being with Marlene is really affecting Uriah.

 _ **10:29- You:**_ _I saw the video of the fight between you and Marlene…_

 _ **10:30- Uriah:**_ _there's a video 'bout it? :/_

 _ **10:30- You:**_ _Yeah, on H.S.H.G._

 _ **10:30- Uriah:**_ _u read that sh*t? :c_

 _ **10:31-You:**_ _Does it matter?_

 _ **10:32- Uriah:**_ _…_

 _ **10:32- Uriah:**_ _maybe…_

 _ **10:33- You:**_ _Everything that Marlene said is true?_

 _ **10:34- Uriah:**_ _pretty much._

 _ **10:34- Uriah:**_ _you should know by now that all I care about is you…_

 _ **10:34- You:**_ _Well, you certainly have a weird way to show it._

 _ **10:35- Uriah:**_ _how many times I have 2 say I'm sorry so you can forgive me? :c_

 _ **10:35- You:**_ _Any._

 _ **10:36- Uriah:**_ _¿?_

It takes me one full minute to oblige myself to send the next text.

 _ **10:37- You:**_ _Because you are already forgiven._

As soon as that text is sent I receive a new one. I look at Ms. Matthews and thanks to God she is still totally focused on her star student. Will. I expect seeing _Four sent you a text_ in my front screen, but instead I get a _Lynn sent you a text._ I sigh a little disappointed, but I am not surprised though.

I click on the text.

 _ **10:37- Lynn:**_ _hey Tris! I know you're sort of sad :cccc but me and every1 else are going to the river that is behind the school. Wanna come?_

 _ **10:37- You:**_ _What time? ;D_

 _ **10:38- Lynn:**_ _that's the Tris I know c:_

A I receive a text from Uriah and ignore it.

 _ **10:38- Lynn:**_ _we're going right after school_

 _ **10:38- You:**_ _Of course I am going._

 _ **10:38-**_ _**You:**_ _By the way, who is going?_

 _ **10:39- Lynn:**_ _Christina, Will, 4, Zeke, Shauna and me._

 _ **10:39- You:**_ _Put Uriah in the list…_

 _ **10:40- Lynn:**_ _:O :O :O :O!_

 _ **10:40- Lynn:**_ _what happened?_

I send her a screenshot of my conversation with Uriah.

 _ **10:42- Lynn:**_ _OMG! I'll invite Uriah. See you on lunch!_

 _ **10:42- You:**_ _Okay, haha._

I put my phone back in my pocket and wait for the ring to bell.

* * *

 **I am SORRY for not updating in sooo long. I was going to put the river scene here but it was already long enough sooo… I hope you liked this chapter. I promise the next one will be better though. BTW, THANKS FOR SO MUCH SUPPORT. I LOVE YOU GUYS; I know this chapter is kind of a filler, so I am really sorry, but if I wrote the river scene in this chapter it would have been too much drama, so not.**

 **BYE BYE BYE BYE**


	12. Chapter 12: No Air

**I THOUGHT YOU HATED ME**

* * *

 _Tuesday 15th- Wednesday 16th September 2015_

* * *

 _ **Chapter twelve: No Air**_

* * *

I can't believe I am so weak.

It has been barely a week since Uriah and I broke up and I am already forgiving him. And right in the moment I analyzed it, I realized I made a mistake. But it's not like I can suddenly be mad at him again, so I guess now I have to stick with my decision. That's the price for talking without thinking, but anyways, I am still going to the river and meeting them all. Uriah is not going to stop me from having fun. Not him, not Four. I'm not the kind of girl who is stopped by silly things like boys.

"You sure you're okay, Tris?" Lynn asks me when she stops her car in front of my house "You seem a little off. If you don't want to go, it's okay. I can make a lame excuse for you, so you can stay home"

"No." I say "It's all right. I just need to get my stuff. You'll wait here, or you want to come inside?"

"I'll wait" Says Lynn and I get out of the car.

I look for my keys in my messenger bag and open the door.

"Hey, Beatrice" Mom greats me. She is sitting in the sofa of our living room, with her reading glasses on and a book being hold by her hands. "Lynn is parked outside. Are you going somewhere?"

"Yep" I say "She invited me to the river. The one behind the school, that's okay with you?"

"Yeah. It is" She says and her gaze drifts back to her book "But be careful."

"I will." I say and run upstairs and get in my room. I look in the drawers for my swimsuit, a towel, sunscreen, a brush and clean clothes. I put them all in my messenger bag and run downstairs.

"I'll get home by six or seven." I tell my mom. "See you"

"Good bye, Beatrice" She says. My mom is okay with me going out with friends. Especially when it's with Christina, Lynn or Uriah. She thinks it makes me good hanging out with them.

I get in Lynn's car.

"Thanks for waiting" I say.

"No problem" She says and starts driving back to school.

* * *

"Hey" Four says when I am near enough to hear him.

Lynn and I arrived and changed in our swimsuits with Christina, Lauren and Molly. I really felt uncomfortable changing in the same room with Lauren and Molly, but I guess I'll have to get used to it if they are part of our group now. But anyways, it was nice since they complimented Lynn's and I swimsuits. Weird, but nice I guess. After changing we came to the riverside with the guys, who were already challenging each other to stay longer underwater. Except for Four, who seemed to be waiting for us.

Or maybe just for me.

"Hey" I say back to Four. I still remember the kiss we shared yesterday, it seems like ages ago though. Four eyes go up and down my body.

"You look…" he says and then his eyes meet mine "Like a twelve years old, trying to look sexy"

"Four, I don't know what your problem is" I say "But I bet it's hard to pronounce"

He smiles a little.

"Tris, I am-" Four says but I cut him off. I don't want to hear apologies.

"You never told me your parents were divorced" I say sitting in one of the plastic chairs probably Uriah bring.

The confusion in his face is priceless. I thought Four always knew what to say, but this is first the moment where I see him perfectly speechless. Even if I refused to admit it to myself, it hurt me a lot when I realized that Four's parents were divorced and he haven't told me. I thought we were friends, and once or twice I even considered being more than that, because I trust him, sometimes even more than Lynn or Christina, and now I finally see that maybe he was just playing around with my feelings. Maybe he doesn't really feels the way he says he does toward me.

Four sighs.

"I didn't tell you because it's not important" He says

"Maybe if you had told me I could have understood better your situation" I say

His eyes meet mine and his face fills with anger and I shift uncomfortable in my chair. _I did not mean it like that_

" _Understood better my situation? What_ do you think I am, Beatrice? Your patient?" He asks me quietly, but the anger evident in his voice.

"I didn't mean it like that" I say "I wouldn't have been so rude with you. Maybe if you had told me I would have understand why you never date anyone." He closes his eyes, and takes a deep breath. After one minute, that seemed eternity to me, he sits in the chair beside me.

"Who told you?" He asks me looking directly at me.

"Marcus had dinner with my parents yesterday" I say not meting his gaze. "And instead of you and your mom, he was accompanied by some women I did not recognize. I just assumed it. No one told me"

He squeezes the bridge of his nose and sighs once again.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you" He says "I was planning on doing it, but I just thought that maybe you didn't care enough about it"

"Well, then you should get to know me better" I say a little angry.

"I'm sorry. I do trust you, though" He says.

I roll my eyes.

"I do trust you, Tris" He says "I just… I don't know how to let people in, and you…"

"I what?" I ask

"I don't know." He says "You had my trust before I realized, and that… kind of scares me"

"It shouldn't" I say "I'm your friend. And you can always trust me"

"About that…" Four says.

I look at him.

"I thought that after all this drama, maybe you'd want to-"

"Hey guys, aren't you going to come?" Will yells at us, from the river.

I realize everyone is already there. Lauren, Molly and Christina are laughing at Uriah and Zeke's little water fight, and Shauna and Lynn are making a swimming race, with Will being the judge. I realize Al is nowhere to be seen.

"Yes, we're going!" Four yells back "Just wait a sec!" He turns to me "What I was saying is that I'd like to-"

"Hurry up!" Lynn yells. "We are about to start" She says referring to the swimming race.

"We can talk later" I tell Four "Let's go before they explode or something."

He smiles a weird smile and he goes to talk to Zeke while I go to see Lynn's and Shauna's swimming race.

The river is around 5'7 feet deep and my feet don't reach the bottom. The water is cold, and one of the sides is full of big trees with thick roots. There is a lot of irregular rocks in the riversides, and inside the river too. Lynn and Shauna start swimming to the biggest rock. Both of them swim easily. They both take particular swimming classes in the pool of their house all summers. Actually, it's weird they have a pool in house, since we live in Chicago, and it's cold here most time of the year but anyways… they throw nice parties at their house once or twice a year, and everyone loves those parties for an obvious reason. The pool.

"Shauna wins!" Will says.

"Don't you say" Lynn answers.

"Come on" Shauna says when she gets to us as well "Is just a game, lil' sis"

"I know" Lynn says "That's why we are trying again"

"You aren't going to win" Shauna says but still gets in line with her sister "You know it"

Shauna and Lynn seem to have fun together. When I see them, I am remembered of Caleb, and how similar is our relationship. He always wins, but somehow I've learned to go with it. At the end he is my brother, my family, my friend. I trust him and he trusts me, and I think I know him better than any girlfriend he may have. And maybe _just maybe_ he knows me better than Uriah and Four together.

Out of nothing, Uriah appears next to me.

 _Speak of the devil, and he may appear._

"Thanks for forgiving me" He says. _Thanks, now I have to try not to hit this idiot in the face._

"Yeah, no problem" I say and try to end the conversation there.

"Tris, I'm really sorry about everything" He says

"I forgave you so you would stop apologizing." I say "Don't make me change my mind."

"Sor-" He stops himself and then sighs "Is just I still got a lot to apologize for"

"So you're saying I should not have forgiven you?" I ask, not looking at him.

"I don't even know if you really forgave me." He says "We didn't even talk about it"

"Yeah, we _did_ " I say

"You _texted_ me about it" He says "That's not talking"

"It is for me" I say

"You said texting about important subjects was for cowards" He says

"I am surprised you remembered" I say, just wanting to end this, though what he said is right. Right now, I am acting like a coward. But is just that I know that talking to Uriah, that looking him in the eye will make me want to go back to him. It will make me want one of his hugs, and throw myself at his arms, and I cannot allow that. I am finally getting somewhere with, Four. We are finally _really_ talking, and maybe we could be something more too. But I don't think that will be possible if me and Uriah hang out as much as we used to.

"Shauna wins again!" Will yells when Shauna reaches the rock.

"Not the next time!" Lynn yells back while she swims to us.

"I remember everything about you" Uriah says

"Uriah" I say and sigh "Please, stop it"

"We should try to get there!" Zeke says pointing to the big rock. The one Shauna and Lynn were swimming to. Right now I am grateful Zeke gave me something to think about besides Uriah. The rock it's right in front of us, and it's at least twelve feet tall, surrounded by smaller rocks. Now all of us are locking at the rock. The smaller rocks around it could work as a ladder so we can climb to the top, but they also could be the place where we fall if we slip, and that is not very safe.

"No way" Lauren says "What are you guys going to do if you slip? You'd fall and hit the rocks, and you'd bleed, and I cannot see blood without passing out."

"Yep. And then we'd have two problems. An idiot bleeding-" She says and points to Zeke "And a preppy girl passed out" She says and points to Lauren. Lauren rolls her eyes.

"I am right" Lauren says "It's dangerous"

"So?" Zeke asks.

"There's also another problem" Molly says "If you fall from the rock to the river, you'd fall to the deepest area and you may not be able to get out"

"I have to agree with Molly in that" Shauna says "The river is not as safe as it seems. Also, you could be not so lucky and fall in one of the river rocks instead."

"I'll go" I say. All of them look at me. I don't really know why I said it. I guess I just want to get away from Uriah.

"Me and Uriah go too" Zeke says. _Thanks for ruining my plans, Zeke._

"I'll go too" Four says.

"Me too" Lynn says.

"If you fall I won't call the ambulance" Shauna says

"Nop" Will says "I will" Shauna glares at him.

"Okay, let's go" Zeke says and we walk toward the rocks to start climbing.

I really did not think this through. In the first place, this _is_ dangerous and climbing with bare feet and in swimsuit is not very comfortable. I grab the hair tie that was around my wrist and put my hair in a bun. After one or two minutes we get there. The surface is slippery, and a little tilted, and is not safe. The view is great though. I can see the horizon and the sun starting to hide, the orange color of the sky making a beautiful picture along the crystalline water of the river and the dark green forest around it. Then suddenly I remember my mom´s words ' _But be careful_ ' and I slap myself in the face.

"You okay?" Lynn asks me.

"I told you it was safe!" Zeke yells at Shauna.

I can see Shauna rolling her eyes in the distance.

"I promised my mother I'd be careful" I say "I've got to get out of here" I say and point to the rock. Lynn laughs and rolls her eyes.

I try to make my way to place where the smaller rocks were, and walk pass Uriah in the way. I try not to brush my shoulder against his when I walk past him, and when I move a little to the right so I don't touch him, I slip and feel myself falling from the rock.

The air stifles my scream and before I fall someone grabs my arm, and the bones in my elbow immediately ache for the effort of supporting all my weight. I look down and see the deepest area of the river Shauna and Molly were talking about. I hear Christina scream when she sees what's happening and I look up to see Uriah holding my arm like his life depends on it.

 _Well,_ _my_ _life kind of does._

"Don't let go!" Uriah says

"Why the hell would I do that?!" I ask him.

"Grab my other hand!" He says and offers me his hand. I try to grab it with my free arm, ' _the one he isn't holding'_ but I fail in the attempt, and the arm he is holding starts aching even more for all the swinging.

"Stop swinging!" Uriah yells

"I'm trying to grab your hand, Uriah!" I yell back at him

Then Four dives into the river and I almost let go Uriah's hand because of the surprise. It seems like the time slowed down, and I see carefully as he throws himself from the rock, and in one moment before he touches the river he looks at me and our eyes meet, but then he looks at the river again and his body is swallowed by the water.

"What the hell, Four!" Zeke yells at him once he swims to the surface.

"Tris, let go of Uriah!" Four yells "I'll catch you!" I look at him. His face is nervous. Lips partially open and eyes wide and bright with uncertainty. If I didn't know him, I'd say he is scared.

 _God, Tris. You are hanging over a river, and you are thinking about Four? Focus!_

"Don't let go, Tris" Uriah says panting "I got you"

I look down to see Four, with the same pained face that Uriah has. Something tells me that this is more than just an attempt to save me from falling, or from drowning.

This is a real decision.

I am deciding who I want to stay with.

I look at Uriah in the eye, and all the moments we've lived together flash before my eyes. When we were in elementary school and I stayed over at his house and we were pillow-fighting, or when we were in middle school and I threw ice cream at his face, or when we were in high school, and he confessed his love to me before asking me to be his girlfriend. All of them good moments. Then I look down to Four and our moments come back to me as well. When I yelled at him for breaking Marlene's heart in elementary school, when he stole my English homework in middle school, and when we kissed four days ago in my living room.

Before I can make a decision my arm aches too much to keep holding, and just before I fall Uriah gets the strength enough to pull me up.

Everyone sighs and Uriah helps me to sit down in the rock. I am seeing everyone's face around me but my mind is somewhere else. My mind is imagining Four's standing alone in the river, with his arms at his sides and a sad look in his face.

"Tris, do you want to come back together?" Uriah asks "Please?"

The word _'yes'_ falls out of my mouth before I can stop it. Uriah hugs me and his warm make me feel weird. He helps me to walk back to the riverside and Shauna and the girls get out of the river and then they all gather around me. I don't know when, but someone got me my towel and a chair.

"Oh my God, are you okay, Tris?" Zeke asks "I thought you were going to die there for a second"

"I wouldn't have died" I say "You guys are over acting"

I look behind me and see Four drying his hair with a towel. Our eyes meet, and he shakes his head and walks away.

"I think you got a cut on your forearm" Shauna says "Lemme see"

After that nothing really mattered to me.

* * *

My arm starts aching, and my hand slips from Uriah's. I want to scream, but before I find my voice I fall in Four's arms. The warmth of his skin embraces me, and suddenly the fear and the powerlessness and weakness are gone, and it's just him and me. Our faces are inches apart, and his blue eyes seem as soft as cotton candy.

"Tris, would you like to be my girlfriend?" He asks me in a whisper.

I put my arms around his neck and I kiss him.

My alarm finally obliges me to wake up, and I groan.

I still feel the ghost of Four's lips on mine.

I turn off my phone alarm and sit up in my bed. I look at the little bandage Shauna put around my arm, where I got a deep cut. From where? I don't give a shit.

Honestly, I think I don't give a shit about nothing today.

Yesterday after Four left, Uriah hugged me a lot and thanked me for giving a second chance. He said he wouldn't fuck it up this time, and I just went with it. I dried myself and then I changed into some clothes before Lynn drove me back home. Thanks God, my mom didn't notice the bandage on my forearm, but Caleb did and I had to promise to tell him today so he promised he wouldn't tell anything to our mom.

I stand up and look for some clothes in my closet.

" _That is your English homework?" Tobias asks me. I haven't got used to call him Four. It is my second week at middle school, and I have heard the name 'Four' at least ten thousand times. Girls are always drooling over him, and I am frequently questioned by his fan's club because I know him. I don't know where the nickname Four came from, and the truth is I don't really care about it. The only reason I know the guy is because he broke my best friend's heart, and his dad has dinner with my parents…_

 _Every. Single. Saturday._

" _Yes." I say rolling my eyes "Give it to me, please"_

" _Aww… You're so cute" He says and touches the tip of my nose with his forefinger "You even said 'please'"_

" _Tobias, I need it. My class is about to begin" I say starting to get annoyed._

 _His face gets serious._

" _It's Four for you, 'Beatrice'" He says, attacking back saying my full name. "And I am not giving it to you until I read it" Then he looks at the paper._

" _No, Tobias. I beg you" I say and try to get my homework back. One or two years ago I was still the same height than him, but now I couldn't get my essay from his hands. Not even jumping._

" _An essay?" Tobias says and laughs "Of_ _love?"_

" _Is just a homework" I say blushing_

" _What could you know of love, Beatrice?" he asks me between laughs._

" _What could_ _you?_ _" I ask "You are heartless, and a bully. And I want my homework back"_

" _Oh, I am_ _sooooo_ _scared" He says and laughs_

" _Let's see what you wrote…" He says and turns around when I try to snap my homework away from his hands. "'Love is a feeling everyone needs. Is like food for our hearts. It makes us keep going every single day of our lives, and it makes us happier than any other thing can, but love is not just a feeling, love is also-'"_

 _The bell rings and it interrupts Four._

" _Can I get my homework back now?" I ask_

" _You wish," He says and laughs "You were right, I do need to learn things about love. So I am gonna read it and I'll give it to you in the break, okay?" He winks at me and he walks away._

 _I roll my eyes and get my other essay from my backpack._

 _Thanks to God my brother obliged me to do my homework twice, in case something happened._

At the end I change into a white T-shirt that says: _'Think ahead, save trees'_ and has a green tree over the blue letters, a pair of jeans which used to be tight and my brown short boots. I fix my hair in a ponytail and wash my face, before I grab my jacket and eat breakfast quickly.

I hear Christina's car parking in front of our house, and I say bye to my mom and dad and then I get on Chris' car. Even when we don't talk as much as before, we still drive together to school. She doesn't seems to notice she has changed, she still talks to me as we are the best of the friends, and hey, maybe we still are.

"How are you, girl?" She asks me "How are you?"

"Fine, thank you" I say

"You really scared us yesterday" She says "I was talking with Molly about a super cute dress we saw in the mall the Monday and then suddenly out of nothing Shauna screamed and pointed a finger at you! You were hanging over the deepest area of the river, but the good news is even with your face full of fear you looked hot in the swimsuit. Anyways, after that we all saw Four jumping over to save you and I couldn't help but feel excited about how cute that was. But then Uriah has to ruin your moment and saved you. Anyways, how is your arm?"

"Fine, it doesn't really hurts" I say. I really didn't hear most of the things she said. I stopped listening when she said 'mall'.

"Well, I bet it doesn't hurt as much as your heart does" She says and I frown.

"What do you mean?" I ask her

"You know…" She says "You don't really love Uriah. Do you?"

"I do love Uriah" I say, trying to convince Christina and myself.

"Well, maybe you do" She says and looks at me "But not as much as you love, Four"

Some car makes its horn sound and Christina eyes are back on the way.

This time is the first moment when Christina isn't talking about herself, gossip or clothes in the last few days. And this is the difference between Christina and Lynn. Lynn supports the guy she thinks is better for me, and Christina supports the guy who she _knows_ I love. And that's why she was my best friend at the beginning of everything.

"Don't let him go, Tris" Christina says

"Then what am I supposed to do?" I ask her "Break up with Uriah and tell Four I love him?" I am not even sure If I love Four.

"That's exactly what you need to do" She says "If you feel like it, do it"

We arrive at the school and I open the door of the car.

"Well, I will" I say and I get out of the car running. I get my phone out of my pocket and look at the time. There's ten minutes before the first class begins. I start running by the hallways looking for Four. _I've got to tell him. I will tell him I want to be with him too._ But then I crash into someone and my phone falls to the floor.

"Oh God" I say and get my phone from the floor. I look at it to see nothing happened. The screen is all right and so is everything. I look up and see Four in front of me.

"Four? I was looking for you" I say and now I notice I am panting "I have something to tell you-"

"There's nothing to tell me, Tris" He says and tries to walk away.

I grab his hand.

"Four, please" I say "Just listen to me"

"No!" He yells and I step back and my shoulder blades hit a locker. "I'm sick of it, Tris. You are always saying _I_ play with people's feelings, that _I_ always break the girl's hearts, and that _I_ am rude and stupid and an idiot and a jerk, and that I am a womanizer for having so many sluts around me. But the truth is, Tris, that _you_ are the slut. _You_ 've been playing with my feelings all along so you could just go back to Uriah, the guy who _cheated_ on you. And you know who picked up the pieces of _your_ heart when he did, Tris? _I_ did, and _I_ was the one who stayed with you when you weren't allowed to come to the Homecoming dance and _I_ was the one who was gonna catch you if you fell from the rock, but **NO** , you had to go back with Uriah because you wanted your revenge. You wanted to break my heart because I broke Marlene's and other girl hearts. All this years you've been hating me and planning this. You wanted to break me, Tris? You did it! You broke me! And thank you, by the way, now I really won't ever be able to have a girlfriend, because you just taught me a valuable lesson, Beatrice Prior; Love. _Sucks_."

And with that he walks away.

* * *

 **Poor Four, and poor Tris. How much you think Uriah and Tris relationship will last? One, maybe two days? ;D I'm sorry for making you wait this long but I hope it's worth it. And to answer some comments, NO, I haven't lose interest in writting, I was just stuck because I didn't know how to make the story keep going, but the problem is resolved. By the way, thanks to Kylalovesbabe, Divergentseriesfan13, Keep Calm and Love Reading, Aubrey Cortez, Karherine Ravens, DivergentFREAK24, ReaderGirl2000, amazballsreader, Fairyvixenmaiden, Deen319 and ALL of you for your beautiful and inspiring comments. Thanks to those silent readers as well!**

 **YEYYYYY! NEW LONGEST CHAPTER!**

 **REVIEW, it MOTIVATES US to WRITE.**


	13. Chapter 13: Wonderwall

**I THOUGHT YOU HATED ME**

* * *

 _Friday 16th October 2015_

* * *

 _ **Chapter thirteen: Wonderwall**_

* * *

"We are not doing an essay of love," I tell him flatly

"Why, Tris?" He asks me quietly "You are in love, aren't you? After all, you and Uriah are the damn perfect couple. How can you not be in love?"

"Is not your business if I am in love or not" I whisper back, so the rest of the class doesn't hear us "But we aren't doing an essay about it"

"We are writing an essay about it," He says

" _No,_ we aren't," I say "You are. If you want a love essay so badly, do it yourself. But don't count on me"

I think I'm going to get a headache.

Since the day Uriah and I started dating I tried to talk to Four millions of times, I've tried to explain him everything but he just ignores me every single time I try. Sometimes he talks back to me, but usually to say how stupid and dorky I am. After a week, I stopped trying to make him forgive me. What else was I supposed to do? Beg forever? Anyways, now it's been a month since Four hates me. One month since I said that stupid ' _yes'_ to Uriah. I don't know if liking someone else is cheating, but I guess that if it is, Uriah deserves it anyways.

Honestly, I don't know why I haven't broken up with him. I think it's because Lynn mostly. She is always saying I should give him a chance, that I have to 'let the love come to us again' but I doubt that is even possible at this point. The only thing I know is that every time I see him I try not to punch him, and every time he kisses me I put all my effort in not pushing back. Also, I realized that if I broke up with him so easily, I would look like a childish girl _and_ a slut who doesn't really know what she wants. Just like Four said. I don't want Uriah to think I am playing with his feelings.

 _But you are playing with his feelings._

 _Shut up!_

But well, right now I just was paired up with Four to do _another_ project for English class. This time is an essay, and it's a good thing because we can work together on it without necessarily talking to each other, but until now it's been a disaster. We've been discussing for fifteen minutes about our essay topic, and every time he says something it has to do something with me, Uriah or sluts.

"Why? Besides boob-less and feelings-less you are also brainless?"

"First. I have more boobs than you." I say "Second. If I didn't have feelings, then I wouldn't be able to be angry at you. And third. I do have brain, and a lot more than you do"

"Wait, did you just said that _you_ are mad at _me_?" He asks "I am the one who is mad at you, Prior. After what you did"

"Why are you even mad?" I ask him calmly "You always say I am the worst. I've never heard you say one good thing about me, not even when we were friends, so why are you so mad because I choose Uriah?"

He glares at me and I hold his gaze.

"Anyways," He says, ignoring my question "Why are _you_ mad at me?"

"Well, because you've been a jerk to me all the past month", I say "Just because I didn't 'choose' you"

"Careful, Tris" Four says "Because the roles can be inverted at any time"

I roll my eyes at him.

"Do whatever the hell you want", I say "I'm tired of guys trying to boss me around."

I start copying the requirements of the essay from the whiteboard to my notebook.

"Including Uriah?" Four asks in a whisper. This is the first time he doesn't say something mean to me, and it takes me some seconds to realize what he is talking about.

"Including everyone," I say and keep on writing.

The bell rings, and as always I am grateful that the English class is over.

I close my notebook and grab it along my things before exiting the classroom.

Not a lot of things have changed in the last month, there's been slight modifications though. For example, Christina and I are close friends again, but we still don't talk as much as we used to. In school she, is always with Molly and Lauren, and out of school and on weekends she has sleepovers or shopping sessions in the mall with them, and I don't want to be part of any of those things. So the only moments when Christina and I get to talk to each other is in the break or the classes we have together; Music, Physical Education and, Chemistry. The bad thing is that Uriah is in two of those classes, and I can't enjoy Christina's company when I also have Uriah's. So at the end, the only class where I talk to Christina without Uriah's constantly annoyance, it's Music.

But Four is also in Music class. What ruins everything.

Coming to it, Four is also in four of my classes besides English, what ruins all my day.

I sigh and check my schedule, just to remember how bad my everyday life in school is.

 _ **Brooks High School- Chicago Illinois**_

 _ **Student: Beatrice Marie Prior**_

 _ **1**_ _ **st**_ _ **Period: Spanish III (Room 24)**_

No Uriah. No Four. Just Zeke and Caleb thanks to God.

 _ **2**_ _ **nd**_ _ **Period: Chemistry (Lab)**_

Uriah, Christina, Al, Lynn, Drew and Marlene in this class…

 _ **3**_ _ **rd**_ _ **Period: AP World History (Room 105)**_

Four, Caleb, Will, Shauna, Lauren and Zeke in this class, what is kind of nice if I ignore Four.

 _ **4**_ _ **th**_ _ **Period: AP English (Room 210)**_

Four, Will, Peter, Caleb, Zeke, Eric, Shauna, Lauren and Molly here.

 _ **Break**_

 _ **5**_ _ **th**_ _ **Period: AP Calculus (Room 164)**_

Four, Shauna, Caleb, Nita and Eric in this class.

 _ **6**_ _ **th**_ _ **Period: Physical Education (Gym)**_

Four (again), Christina, Uriah, Will, Lynn, Shauna, Peter and Drew in this class.

 _ **7**_ _ **th**_ _ **Period: Music (Auditorium)**_

Four (again), Christina and Nita.

So yeah, Four is in five of my seven classes…

Yay.

I sigh and leave my things in my locker, before heading to the Cafeteria.

"Hey" I hear Caleb's voice saying next to me while he puts his things in his locker "Is everything okay? I saw you were paired up with Four again"

"Yeah, I was," I say "But I am okay I guess" Caleb's locker it's next to mine because the lockers are assigned in alphabetical order. And that's also the reason why Uriah's and Zeke's lockers aren't very far away from mine.

"Well, I'm glad," He says "See you later"

Other things that changed in the past month, is that now Caleb is dating Susan. He finally got the balls to ask her out about three weeks ago, and since they've been dating he seems happier, and more talkative. I'm happy for them.

I arrive and I see in the distance my group of friends already there. The life sparkles in all their eyes while they laugh or makes jokes. Zeke is talking about something very eagerly, and Shauna, Lynn, and Uriah laugh when he finishes, while Christina, Lauren, and Molly talk one mile per minute about gossip probably. Will and Al talk calmly but happily with each other, and Four is talking with Peter and Drew. Peter and Drew don't eat with us, but there is one exception here and there, like now. Drew looks as happy as everyone else, but Peter looks cold as always, but beneath the cool act he always puts on I can see he is kind of happy.

The only one with empty eyes is Four.

He has his _cool_ aura all around him, just as he always does. But I think now I know him enough to see when he is happy and when he is not.

Right now he isn't. Is crystal clear that his eyes are in need of light.

I sit down between Uriah and Christina and Uriah welcomes me with a smile and gives me my lunch.

Yeah, one good thing about dating Uriah is that you never have to make line for lunch.

I smile back at him and whisper thanks before listening to the amazingly fun story Zeke is trying to tell us. Uriah puts his arm around my shoulder and brings me closer to him. I try not to roll my eyes.

"-but then, to take revenge I tried to throw the ice-cream at Uriah, but when I did he moved and the ice-cream ended up in the butt of some old lady that was walking past us," He says and everyone bursts into laughter. "The funniest part is that she didn't even notice"

The laughs suddenly end, and I see everyone looking in the same direction I am.

Nita.

And she is walking toward us.

Since she tried to take revenge from Four, all of us hate her. Even Lauren and Molly refuse to talk to her. So why the hell is she approaching to _our_ table? What is she planning to do now?

She arrives, and the words that come out of her mouth make my heart stop.

"Hey, love," She says and kisses Four's cheek while she sits between him and Peter. "How are you?"

I feel the tears starting to appear in my eyes, the anger going up to my cheeks and the need to hit Nita building up. _Are they dating? When did this happen?_ I used to think the expression 'broken heart' was stupid. I used to think it was not possible, but now I feel it. I feel how every part of my heart breaks and falls, and I feel how it leaves an empty space where love is supposed to be.I look between Four and Nita horrified, and then I see in slow motion how Nita approaches to kiss him. Nita closes her eyes and puts her hand in Four's neck, bringing his face to hers. Four lets her, and when their lips meet, he opens his eyes and looks at me.

We look at each other and the time stops. There is nothing else than us looking at each other right now. There is nothing else than two people who want to be together but refuse to try, refuse to admit it. There is nothing else but a 'could have been' between us. A beautiful 'could have been' between us. I feel like there are many things that we would like to tell each other at this moment, but now… they are just things that we could have told each other.

Now is the dead end.

I look back at my food and see that no one else is surprised by Nita. Everyone acts like if these things happened every day, they almost look as if they already knew that…

Wait.

No way.

Everything is too much, and I know the tears will fall at any moment, so I stand up and run to the bathroom before anyone sees me cry. I walk out of the Cafeteria and go to the bathroom. I check it to make sure I am alone. My legs fail and I fall on the cold bathroom floor. The tears start running down my eyes, but they are not sadness tears, they are anger tears. I am angry because I know perfectly that I can't do anything about it. I know I am the one who choose wrong, and I know it's all my fault. I want to scream at Four for breaking my heart, though, because he has no right to steal my heart just to wreak it. I want to hit him, to hate him, and I want to make him disappear. But what makes me angrier is that I can't hate him, I can't hit him, and I would never make him disappear. I can't do any of those things because I like Four. And I can't help it.

I hear steps behind me.

"Why no one told me?" I say, standing up and approaching to a sink to wash my face.

"You never asked, and everyone thought you already knew or didn't care," Christina says

I sigh and bring the water in my hands to my face.

"When? How?" I ask

"One week after you and Uriah started dating," She says "She had come before to lunch with us when you weren't there. That's why no one was really surprised. Just you"

"Why didn't you tell me?" I ask her.

"Why should I tell you? Why should you care? You have a boyfriend" She says

I want to be mad at her for not telling me, but I know she is right. I shouldn't care if Four has a girlfriend or not, is his business. So I don't answer.

"I hate that freaking bitch," I say looking at my red eyes in the mirror while I hear the running water of the sink. I look empty, my gaze looks lost, and I feel like I want to punch someone and break down.

"Everyone hates Nita, just for different reasons," Christina says while she comes to stand next to me and turns off the water. "I'm sure even Four hates her, just as you hate Uriah. Actually, you guys are really stupid, you like each other but date people you hate to pretend you're okay. Where is the logic in that?"

I roll my eyes.

"You're not one to talk about logic," I say, referring to all her senseless acts.

"That's right, but you really are stupid," She says while she gets her lipstick out her pocket and fixes her make-up.

I roll my eyes.

But I know I really am stupid.

* * *

Music class usually brings my mood up, but today nothing can really make me happy. Not since lunch.

"Okay guys, listen to me!" Tori says and the talks in the room cease "Today, we are going to make a free expression class. That means, every single one of you will come to this right spot where I am standing and sing to your classmates a song that expresses how you feel right now. Deal?"

I roll my eyes.

It seems like the universe really hates me.

"Who wants to go first?" Tori asks over the voices of everyone, who are already planning their song.

"Me," Nita says and some people clap. ' _Of course they clap_ ' I think while I look at Nita. She haves fans. She sings well and she is pretty, she has good height and she is thin but curvy and her hair is dark, long and straight. She is obviously prettier than me with my flat chest and poor height. I look at Four, and I see he is looking at Nita while he claps along the others, probably thinking in how pretty she is, just like all her fans right now.

"Well, what will you sing, Nita?" Tori asks while she goes to the piano.

"Madonna, _Like a Virgin,_ " She says flipping her hair.

I roll my eyes. Of course she'd choose something like that.

Tori rolls her eyes too but starts playing the song. Tori has told us, that she can't stand smug people.

" _I made it through the wildness / Somehow I made it through"_

She is good at singing, and everyone is hearing in awe of course. For the first time in my life I am jealous of Nita. She isn't anything I want to be, but she has something I'd die for.

Four's love.

" _I was beat / Incomplete"_

Four is looking at her, he seems kind of proud of Nita. Maybe Christina is wrong and he doesn't despise her as much as I despise Uriah.I hold back the tears and try not to be mad at Nita's talent. The song seems to have no end, but it finally does.

So people keep on volunteering to sing, and some beg Tori to let them sing in pairs, but, of course, she doesn't let them. The best ones have been Nita, Christina and Will, and almost everyone has sung by now, the only ones left are Four, a sophomore guy, and me.

"Well, Four, you're next," Tori says. She probably knows that any of us is going to volunteer to sing so she just picked someone. "What are you going to sing?"

Four sighs and rolls his eyes. He seems kind of uncomfortable every time Tori asks us to sing, I don't know why, though. The only reason I can think about is that maybe he sings awful. He has never sing in class, he always finds an excuse to escape from it. This time, he doesn't look like he is going to escape from the situation, though. He stands up and walks to the auditorium's stage. Even from my seat, I can see the sweat drop running down his forehead. His hands are in his pocket, and for the first time, he looks terrified. He whispers something to Tori, and she nods. He goes and grabs the guitar from the instruments that are in the stage and comes back to the center.

He starts playing a strumming that I know as well as the palm of my hand.

" _Today is gonna be the day that they're gonna throw it back to you_

 _By now you should somehow realize what you're got to do_

 _I don't believe that anybody feels the way I do_

 _About you know"_

He looks at me for a brief moment, and then, he looks away.

 _My dad invites Marcus to his office, and Evelyn and my mom start talking about women things while they go to wash the dishes while my brother excuses himself saying he has homework to do and goes upstairs. And as every other Saturday, my family leaves me alone with the guy I hate most in the dinner table. I am still really mad at him because two days ago he broke my math project into pieces. Thanks to God I had still one day to fix it. But still, he shouldn't have done that, and any of the other things he has done to me. Thanks to Four, my first months at middle school, have been hell._

" _So, Beatrice, how are you?" He asks very politely._

" _Awful, thanks to you," I say knowing that my mom and Evelyn can't hear us from the kitchen._

" _Wow, you're so mean," He says with fake pain._

" _Shut it off, Four," I say "Leave me alone at least one Saturday" I sigh_

" _Or what?" He asks._

" _Or I'll find myself obligated to develop a crush on you," I say and smile. Of course, I don't mean it, but I know that is probably the only thing that will make him stop._

" _So gross. Please no" He says scared "I don't want people to know that a nerd-girl has a crush on me"_

" _Then stop bothering me," I say_

" _Okay, okay," He says and stays silent._

" _What's your favorite song?"_

 _I sigh. Of course it wouldn't last enough._

" _Wonderwall, from Oasis," I tell him "I don't think you know it"_

" _Hey, you offend me," He says "I love Oasis"_

 _I laugh "Sure you do"_

" _Yeah, actually every time I see you that song plays in my head," He says and looks at me seriously._

 _I look at him… and then I laugh harder._

" _You are the worst player in history, Four," I say "you'd think I fall for that little trick?"_

" _Well, I don't know," He says rolling his eyes, but smiles "I don't even know what that song is about"_

 _I roll my eyes. "Is about a guy, who has a crush on a girl, but loses the opportunity to confess his love," I say "Not something I'd fall for"_

" _But, isn't it your favorite song?" He asks me_

" _Yeah, I like the song. But I wouldn't fall for that. The 'this song makes me think about you' is an awfully cheesy trick" I say. "You should find new way to make girls fall for you"_

" _Nah, I think I'm okay," He says and winks._

 _I roll my eyes._

" _Fuck yourself, Eaton," I say_

" _That's not anatomically possible, Prior" He smiles._

Why? Why is Four playing with my feelings? Why does he sing my favorite song in front of the class? Is he trying to confuse me? Who does he think he is? He was there, singing for the first time in Music class. And it was not just _a_ song, it was _my_ song. He knew that perfectly. That time at my dinner table wasn't the only time we had talked about it. One day he even joked about feeling just that way about me, but of course, it was what he did all the time. Playing with girl's feelings.

" _And all the roads that lead you there were winding_

 _And all the lights that light the way are blinding._

 _There are many things that I would like to say to you_

 _But I don't know how._

 _I said maybe_

 _You're gonna be the one that saves me_

 _And after all_

 _You're my Wonderwall_

 _I said maybe_

 _You're gonna be the one that saves me_

 _You're gonna be the one that saves me_

 _You're gonna be the one that saves me"_

The class claps, and right after Four walks back to his seat the rings bells, saving me from singing myself.

"On Monday Tris and Tyler will sing their song since today there was not enough time," Tori says "Have a good Friday, kids"

Everyone gets out of the room, including myself.

I sigh.

This day can't get any worse.

I walk to my locker to get my things inside. I still can't understand why Four would do that. In the morning he was hating on me with his mean comments, in lunch, he looks at me while he kisses Nita and now he sings a song… for me? How moody can be Four? He didn't sing that song just because, he has a reason and I am going to confront him about it. He can just tell me he hates me and then doing this… It's just not right. Also, the dick already has a girlfriend!

"Hey, Tris," Lynn says from behind "You okay?"

"Not really." I say "Why?"

"I just wanted to talk to you for a moment." She says "Can I?"

"Sure, what's up?" I ask, closing my locker and looking around to realize everyone already left the hallway. It's just me and Lynn.

"Tris… well, you are going to get mad" She says a little nervous… _Lynn, nervous? This can't be good_

"Well, tell me." I say "Better sooner than later, right?"

"Well, that's the problem." She says "it's kind of late now"

I sigh.

"If you are going to apologize for don't telling me about Nita and Four, don't." I say "I don't want to talk about it"

"No, it's not that," She says rolling her eyes. "I'm sorry for talking you into coming back with Uriah and-"

"It's not your fault, Lynn," I say "You thought it was the best thing. I'm really tired, so if that was it I really want to go"

"Not, it's not it," She says "The thing is that I knew it was not the best thing."

I frown. _Can this day become more confusing?_

"So… why did you told me to forgive him?" I ask, getting a little angry.

"Because I knew that if you forgave him, he wouldn't possible come back with Marlene," She says

Silence.

"Lynn…" I say slowly "If you weren't confusing me so much I would scream at you. Why did you not want Uriah and Marlene together? Do you like Uriah? Are you going to ask me to break up with him so you can be with him? What the hell?"

"No… I don't like Uriah, Tris…" She says

"You like…" I say, and then I understand what's going on.

"Yeah, I like Marlene," She says.

* * *

 **I'm really sorry for making you wait that long but I have a life and I have things to do. I really hope you like this chapter and I promise I'll update more often. By the way, on Wednesday 16 is my birthday and maybe (just maybe) I'll make an update for the special occasion. So, I hope you guys take the time to hear 'Wonderwall' and I imagine that Nita's cover from 'Like a Virgin' is similar to Sister Christina's. Look it up, I'm sure you'll love it. One last thing: Please comment what song you'd like Tris to sing.**

 **HAVE A NICE DAY, FOLLOWERS. Tris loves ya all.**


	14. Chapter 14: Another One Bites the Dust

**I THOUGHT YOU HATED ME**

* * *

 _Friday-Saturday 16-17th October 2015_

* * *

 _ **Chapter fourteen: Another One Bites The Dust**_

* * *

I don't say anything. If I say anything I'll probably end up fighting with Lynn over this and that is not a good idea, considering she is Lynn. I sigh and get my backpack from the floor before walking away. This is the last thing I needed today; more people playing with my feelings. The real problem is that Lynn is not only playing with mine, she is also playing with Uriah's feelings and Marlene's (they do deserve it though) and the most unbelievable thing is that the brave and confident Lynn has been keeping that secret for so long. I would try to help her to do something about her feelings towards Marlene, but right now after she said she just used me for her own benefit I don't even want to see her.

considering she is Lynn. I sigh and get my backpack from the floor before walking away. This is the last thing I needed today; more people playing with my feelings. The real problem is that Lynn is not only playing with mine, she is also playing with Uriah's feelings and Marlene's (they do deserve it though) and the most unbelievable thing is that the brave and confident Lynn has been keeping that secret for so long. I would try to help her to do something about her feelings towards Marlene, but right now after she said she just used me for her own benefit I don't even want to see her.

I finally get out of the school, to the parking lot and start walking to my house. I am about to exit the parking lot when I hear a voice behind me.

"Hey, Tris." _Oh my Gosh, really?_ "We need to talk…"

I keep walking. I haven't seen him because he is walking behind me, but that voice can only be his. I hope he gives up soon, because if he keeps insisting, all the rage I've been saving all day long will be discharged on him and only him.

"You know we do," Four says. I keep on walking and don't answer "I saw how you reacted when Nita came to have lunch with us."

"Why should you care about my reactions? " I ask him, but don't stop my steps.

"Why should you react?" He asks

"Why should you ask? " I say and turn around "Do you have a problem with my reactions?"

His face is as handsome as it has always been, and I try not to get mad at myself for thinking that.

"I… no, I don't have a problem but"

"But you should stop stalking me" I cut him off "Nita could get mad, you know."

"Tris, I am really sorry about-" He starts

"Stop following, Four." I say "Please."

"Please, Tris. Let me explain" He says, his eyes begging.

"There's nothing you need to explain," I say and frown.

"I want to apologize to you." He says.

"Apologize for what?" I ask, acting confused. He frowns.

"You know for what…" He says

"No… I don't" I say shaking my head and acting as best as I can to look like I don't care and I don't know. "Look, I think you are confused. You have nothing to apologize for. This is how it has always been, isn't it? You and me fighting. Me with Uriah. You with Nita. Is just how things are, you don't have to apologize for that."

I don't want him to fix things. I have always known we are not meant to be together, and if he fixes things, I'll fall again for his tricks and I'll end being one more of his toys. It's true that I don't love Uriah, but I don't love Four either. I don't even know him well, I can't even say I like him because I despise a lot of things from him. If we hate each other, things will be easier. No feelings between.

I can't deny I am hurt because he is dating Nita, but is his choice and not mine, and if I get mad at him for choosing her over me, I'd be just as ridiculous as he was when he got mad at me for choosing Uriah over him. Also, I don't have a reason to be mad. I have a boyfriend, and I shouldn't care about whatever he does with whoever he wants. It's just not my business. And it doesn't matter how hurt I am, but it's time to get things straight.

I can do it. I'll be happier this way.

I am happy this way.

"Tris…" He says, his face full of disbelief "You can't do this to me."

I frown and tilt my head to the left, looking confused.

"Do what to you?" I ask and laugh a little, to pretend I don't really know what he is talking about.

"Is this a sick joke, or are you really going to ignore everything we are?" He asks me, holding both of my shoulders and getting me nearer to him.

"Everything we are? What the hell are you talking about, Four?" I ask him and get his hands off me. ' _That must be enough answer his question'_ I think. "We are nothing. Just people who hate each other. Now I am going to leave and I hope you don't follow this time."

I turn around and keep walking while a deep part inside me screams at me: ' _Idiot, you know that you want to be with him! Why are you leaving?!'_ But I ignore it and keep walking.

"You want to do this, Tris?" Four asks, his voice getting lower as I walk away. "Well, two can play this game…"

* * *

The next day when I wake up, the events of yesterday come to me like shots to the head. I sit up on my bed and rub my eyes before I look at the clock; the clock reads 6:57 in the morning. I frown at my clock. Why am I awake so early in a Saturday morning? Then the answer to my question comes as quick as it came. The phone in my bedtable starts ringing and vibrating with its unoriginal ringtone.

I frown and answer.

"Whoever it is, it better be good," I say with tired voice

" _Tris, you've got to read the H.S.H.G. page!_ " Christina's voice says by my phone " _It's really important… you've got to do it now!_ "

"Woah…" I say "Our High School's gossip page is posting this early? It must be important…" The sarcasm in my voice is evident.

" _Tris. Read it. Please_ " Christina says. " _It's about you…"_

My eyes go wide.

"Wait a minute," I say and stand up from my bed, looking for my laptop. The room is still dark since the sun hasn't even raised yet and the switch is too far, so the search is even harder.

I finally find my computer on my desk, beneath some school sheets.

"Okay. I'm getting in" I say. It's not hard to find H.S.H.G's post, since I've got around fifteen notifications for being tagged in comments and the post, and also because is the first thing I see when I log in.

It reads:

" _ **Tris Prior #School'sIdol hasn't done it yet!"**_

"What!" I ask Christina scared. "What the hell is this Christina?!"

" _It just gets worse…"_ Christina says. " _Read it"_

I feel my heart beating hard against my chest and sigh before I read it.

" _Tris Prior #School'sIdol hasn't done it yet!"_

 _Just yesterday, our amazing sources #Baes told us that Tris Prior, the girl who is nominated for being the Winter Dance Queen, hasn't done it yet! For weeks, all the girls in Brooks High School have been talking about how amazing she is, how original her clothes are, and how hot her friends and boyfriend look (Four; AKA the Hottest Guy in School and Uriah; The Hot Idiot that Tris is dating) But when it comes to Tris, the girls are not the only ones who r talking… According to our sources, the boys have been talking too! Probably talking about how fortunate are those who have been with Tris. But now, we found out that the desirable_ _chic everyone seems to want is still an innocent virgin! #WhatABigDeal._

 _Our sources also told us, that Tris' and Uriah's break-up was also because of this. They said that Uriah was desperate, and Tris' didn't want to give what he obviously needed, so he looked for what he wanted in Marlene. And BOOM! He cheated on Tris. But anyways, this information hasn't been confirmed, and when we have real proof we'll show it to you guys!_

 _I bet Tris won't like this post. Is this just a coincidence? Maybe not. Tris has fans, but she also has enemies around or school. Maybe this is just a little revenge because of something from the past…_

 _Who is Tris' enemy? Is it a girl? Maybe a rejected guy…._

 _Uriah, you should make your girl yours before more posts are posted._

 _Or who knows?... Maybe it's Four who takes the Jackpot…_

 _More on the next post of H.S.H.G._

 _#HotGossip #HotVirginWanted #HighSchoolWar_

…

Easy Tris. Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in-

Fuck it.

"Who the hell did this, Christina?!" I ask "I swear I am going to kill him"

" _I'm sorry, Tris."_ She says _"What do you want me to say if someone asks me if the post it's true?"_

Then, I remember my conversation with Four yesterday and I know exactly who did this.

"Say it's a lie," I say "I don't want people to think I am afraid of it… even if it's true"

" _Okay, I will,"_ Christina says " _I'll call the girls so they say the same. You should call Uriah"_

"No. I'm not going to call, Uriah," I say. "I have something to do."

I get the first shirt I see from my closet, my favorite pair of jeans, underwear and my towel. Then I get to the bathroom and take the quickest shower of my life. I get out, dry myself and change into my clothes before brushing my teeth. I put on some sneakers and get my messenger back. Then I get out of my room before running downstairs. I leave a note for my mom saying I went to Christina's and start walking to Four's house.

I am so mad that I can't think of anything else in my way to his house.

I press the doorbell so many times I lose the count. I don't stop until a sleepy Four opens the door.

"What?" He asks when he sees me and rubs his eyes. "What are you doing here so early?"

"I'm here to yell at you!" I yell at him and push him "Why did you tell them I haven't done it, uh? Why?!"

"Hey, stop pushing me," He says and takes my wrists in his hands with too much strength for someone who just woke up. I stop trying to punch him but he doesn't let me go. "So I guess you saw it?"

"You idiot!" I yell at him and start tussling again "Why did you do it, bastard?!"

"I didn't do anything!" He yells at me

"Let me go, you are hurting me, idiot," I say and struggle against his hold

"You were the one who wanted us to hate each other again, so I am not letting go," He says and he hold my wrists harder. "I saw the post, yeah. But I have nothing to do with it. Why should I?"

"You are lying!" I yell and kick him in the shins. He whines, but doesn't let me go, instead, he throws me over his shoulder and gets me inside.

"Bastard! Let me go!" I yell at him "SOMEONE CALL THE POLICE! THIS INSANE GUY WANTS TO-" He puts his hand over my mouth.

"Shut the fuck up, Prior!" He says "Or I'll tie you to a chair again"

"Mhetyo!" I say.

"What?" He asks "You hate me? That's a shame" Four walks us to his living room and throws me on the sofa.

"I hate you, Four!" I yell at him when I fall in his furniture "Why did you do it?!"

"You are crazy! I didn't do anything!" He yells at me. I stand up from his sofa and dust my pants off.

"You are the only one who could have said it," I tell him while I walk to the door. I don't even know why I came here "Don't play fool"

"Think whatever you want, but I didn't do anything," He says

"Fuck you," I say and close the door hard beside me.

"You want war, Tris?!" He asks-yells from inside. "You'll have war!"

* * *

 **How are you?! :):):):) It's not March 16th but this is an update. As you can guess, I was really busy on my birthday and I didn't have time to write and update. Also, I am really sorry this is so short but I wanted to give you one more chapter to comment on which song Tris should sing. This chapter sucks, and it's really short, I know. But please, understand. The next chapter will be a lot more amazing. I hope you forgive me.**

 **Well, goodbye Tris' followers.**

 **REVIEW; IT MOTIVATES US TO WRITE**

 **PD: Can you believe this story has come so far? 126 of beautiful and amazing followers! We even made it into a community! XD *Cheers***


	15. Chapter 15: Teenagers

**I THOUGHT YOU HATED ME**

* * *

 _Monday 19th October 2015_

* * *

 _ **Chapter fifteen: Teenagers**_

* * *

Today in the morning when my alarm went off, I wanted to be swallowed by the earth. I knew when I arrived at the school the bullying for that freaking post wouldn't stop, and I and my friends would be questioned by innumerable people. I thought for a second that maybe I could play sick so I could skip school today, but I knew mom wouldn't fall for it. Also, I didn't want to look like a coward. I knew I was strong enough and I could go through it. I have endured Four's bullying for years and I could endure this for a month.

But now that I am walking through the parking lot to get to the entrance and everyone's eyes are on me, I am not so sure.

I knew this would happen so I dressed a little better than usual. At least, they can't laugh at me because of my clothes. I am wearing boot cut jeans, a white sleeveless T-shirt with Nirvana's logo, a brown jacket and, of course, my always loved combat boots.

I sigh and try not to feel overwhelmed for all the gazes and stares. The parking lot is usually full of laughs and talks in the morning, but now while I walk by, the only thing I can hear are whispers. I hold tighter my messenger bag and keep my eyes still in the entrance in front of me. The atmosphere at school never felt so secretive and mean, and if it ever did I didn't notice before. This makes me realize that what Christina told me once, is truth; messing with the popular is like doing a pact with the devil.

"Hey, Tris," A guy asks me but I walk past him. He is leaning in his car and has the looks of being a player. "Why don't you come to my place? We could gather evidence that the post is a lie…" He says from behind.

"No thanks," I say, not even looking at him. "I don't do it with losers"

I hear 'burn's' from the people who listened what I told him and then I keep on walking.

"If you're old enough to flirt, you're old enough to squirt," Molly says when I walk by. She and her group of sluts around her, laugh. "Don't you think, Tris?"

"Whoa…" I say and stop walking, to look at her. "You're spreading rumors, Molly? At least, you are spreading something other than your legs…"

Everyone in the parking lot laughs. Molly rolls her eyes at me and I keep walking and right when I think no one else is going to bother me, a brunette guys blocks my way to the door of the entrance.

"Hey," He says "How you doin'?"

I frown.

I don't know the guy's name, but he seems familiar. He has black messy hair, and he is wearing a button-up plaid shirt. He looks something like Caleb but more… wild. I think I have one, maybe two classes with him. He probably just wants to know if the post was true or not, or maybe he wants to make another stupid joke to me like the others.

"I'm doin' really bad, thank you," I say sarcastically "Now if you let me, I'd like to walk in the school." I walk past him and enter the school.

"Hey, wait!" He says behind me "Why are you so hassled?"

I laugh at his choice of words and turn around to face him.

"Well, I don't know, maybe because H.S.H.G. posted that I am virgin and everyone is staring at me now?" I ask him and make a sign for him to look around. He does and we see that everyone is staring and talking in whispers in the hallway. "See?" I ask

"Yeah, I know what H.S.H.G. posted. I don't live in a cave" He says and presses his glasses back on his nose's bridge.

"Yeah. Sure" I say and keep walking.

He keeps walking with me and I roll my eyes.

"So are you virgin or not?" He asks me

I blush.

"Of course not." I lie. I know being a virgin is not a bad thing, I just don't want all the school knowing it. "If that's all you wanted, leave me alone, please"

"I didn't talk to you for that. I thought that maybe since today everyone was going to talk to you because of the post, I could take the chance and approach." He says "Not everything H.S.H.G. says it's a lie" He stares at me to see my reaction.

I know what he means. He is talking about that part where the post says I am… _desirable._ Also a lie, of course.

"I have a boyfriend, you know?" I ask him absently while I open my locker.

" _Please,_ Tris. You, I and all the school know that your relationship with Uriah is not going to last long." The guy says "He cheated on you, for God's sake"

"Well, even if I break up with him," I say and look at him "You wouldn't be the one I'd date next"

I hear laughs behind me and see Peter and Drew walking by.

"Trying to get the _jackpot,_ Matthew?" Peter asks and laughs at his own joke with Drew. Then they disappear.

I roll my eyes.

"Your name is Matthew?" I ask the guy turning to him "You have English with me" I say.

He laughs a little embarrassed.

"Yeah, and Spanish and Calculus and Music," He says smiling.

Suddenly I feel sorry for haven't noticed him before.

"Sorry… I-"

"Yeah, don't worry," he says waving it off with his hand. "Can I walk to Spanish with you?"

I frown.

"Eh… sure? I guess" I say.

This is really going to be a weird day.

"I don't want you to think I'm a creepy stalker, but-" Matthew starts

" _Ha_ , Are you _denying_ being a stalker?" I ask him

"No. I'm not denying being a stalker, I'm just denying being a creepy one"

I roll my eyes but laugh.

"Okay, so you were saying?"

"Well, I wanted to ask how a sophomore girl could have three AP classes with the seniors." He says

"Well, I don't know," I say "I just do"

"And you excel in all of them," He says like he is talking about a science experiment "You are like… I don't know how to describe it. A _jack of all trades_ maybe?"

I laugh. This guy is _deranged._

"You think?" I ask him, my voice dripping sarcasm.

"Yeah. You talk Spanish fluently, I've seen it. You are a Math genius, you always get the result first. And you're the best singer in our Music class, even better than Nita. Maybe that's why she hates you so much…" He says, not noticing I was being sarcastic. "And you are pretty. Most smart girls aren't pretty or don't care about their aspect."

"I don't," I say laughing.

"Well, but you look good," He says, not caring at all how obsessed with me he sounds.

We walk to Spanish, and I notice that he must be respected by the school because no one else has approached me after he started walking next to me excluding Peter, but he has no respect for anyone. Before we arrived at the classroom, Matthew kept on saying weird things but I didn't really heard them. We arrived at the classroom, and I finally feelt calm, because even in Spanish no one said nothing about the post. I could hear whispers behind me and sometimes the word _'virgin'_ but nothing as bad as I imagined.

My mind was completely clean about the topic, until Zeke's phone rang, indicating he had received a Facebook's notification.

"No se permiten celulares en mi clase, Ezekiel _"_ _'No phones allowed in my class, Ezekiel'_ says Ms. Norma. Our Spanish Teacher.

"Disculpe señorita Norma" _'Sorry, Miss Norma'_ Zeke says "I just don't know what happened. It didn't have the volume on" Everyone in the class laughs at Zeke's comment and Ms. Norma rolls her eyes at then, another phone in the classroom rings with the same sound of a Facebook notification. And the another, and another, until all the phones are ringing with the same sound.

"¡¿Qué está pasando aquí?!" ' _What's going on here?'_ yells Ms. Norma at us.

"It's H.S.H.G." Zeke says "Something about Four" He looks at me and I frown.

My own phone rings and I get it out of my pocket and just as Zeke said is another post from H.S.H.G.

It reads:

" _Our Four #Player #Hot has daddy issues!"_

 _Remember Saturday's new #Gossip about Tris' Prior intimate issues? Well, everything indicates that Four was the one who spread that rumor (we don't know if it's true yet, though). How could Four find out about such a secretly thing about Tris? Maybe Tris confessed her little secret to him when he tried to bang her just like he bangs every girl. But unfortunately for Four, she came back to Uriah despite his efforts to get her for himself. Maybe that's why he decided to take revenge and say such thing about her ex-crush #HighSchoolIdol. But all of us know our little Tris. She wasn't going to let it go that easy, uh? So here is Tris' revenge! Tris' comeback to this social War!_

"What?!" I ask out loud and all the class looks at me "I'm not taking revenge from anybody."

 _We don't know if it's Tris who spread this information about Four, but we sure know that the one who found proof so we could post it here is one of Tris' fans who wants to defend his/her idol. The information we gathered says that when Four was a little child, his Dad (Marcus, our Principal) was really aggressive with him and his mom, so the beautiful woman Marcus was married to, couldn't take it anymore and left poor little Four with his violent dad. Four had to endure all those years with the beats of Marcus #EvilPrincipal until he decided to get married again and he allowed Four to live alone in their old house._

 _It's that why Four and Marcus never talk in school? And maybe that's why Four's parents are never home. And maybe those scars that his partners see on his back in the locker room are because of the beats. We ask you, public, to tell us everything you know. Maybe the girls who have been in Four's house could tell us if he really lives alone. But anyway, we have pictures of the photos that Marcus has in his office, showing Four's family and then Marcus' wedding with a woman that doesn't look like Four's mom at all. See it by yourselves clicking here._

 _Well, now we are sure that Four and Tris aren't going to do it._

 _Are they enemies? Is this the beginning of a #HighSchoolWar?_

 _If it is…. Who will win?_

 _By the way, keep looking for proof that Tris is virgin… If she still is_

 _More on the next post of H.S.H.G._

 _#HighSchoolWar #WildLove #HelpYourIdol_

Before Miss Norma can yell at us again the bell rings indicating the class is over.

"Well done, Tris!"

"He deserved it anyways"

"Maybe he plays girls to fill the emptiness"

Those are comments please says while they walk by. I sigh and walk out the classroom.

"Are you going to ditch me already?" Matthew says walking with me.

Oh. I had forgotten him.

"Uh? No" I say "I'm just walking to my next class"

"Did you spread that information?" He asks me

"Hell no, Matthew," I say "I am not that kind of person. Also, they didn't say it was me. They said they thought it was me. And that means nothing."

"Sorry." He says

"So, are you going to follow me around all day long?" I ask him

"No. He is not" I hear Four say behind me. "You can stalk Tris later, Matt. I have to talk to her, now"

Matthew rolls his eyes at Four but he walks away.

"I didn't spread those rumors," I say to Four after I turn around to face him.

"Shut up, shorty, not here." He says and grabs my arm.

"Hey, get off me," I say but I can't make him let me go. He drags me to somewhere while everyone walks to their classes. Right when I saw him, I knew I was going to skip my next class (Chemistry). His eyes are full of anger and I am sure he wants answers. Also, I noticed that some students started to whisper when they saw us and I was surprised when Four didn't hit a guy that was talking about the post. Finally, when the hallways seem deserted and the only thing hearable is our steps, we find the janitor's closet and Four practically shoves me inside.

"Hey! What's with the violence?!" I ask him when he closes the door, and when he turns to me I kick him in the chest, making him hit the door behind him with his back. Unfortunately, for me, when he recovers from the surprise he grabs my leg (the one I kicked him with) and places it on his shoulder, stretching it more than it should ever be stretched and causing pain. I slap him but he barely reacts. He holds both of my wrists like he did on Saturday and he places them above my head.

"Okay, now are you going to stop hitting me so we can talk?" He asks me panting a little.

I don't answer and struggle against his hold even when I know it's useless.

"Let me go." I say panting for the effort as well "This position is not very… _civil_ "

Four frowns and looks down at us, then he realizes what I mean and lets me go.

"Why did you told people about Marcus?" He asks me

"I didn't," I say dusting off my pants "Unlike you, I care about people feelings"

"I didn't tell people about your virginity either." He says "But _unlike you_ , I believe you. I know you wouldn't do that anyways. Also, you didn't know that much"

"Thanks, I think," I say raising an eyebrow

"Who else knows about Marcus?" Four asks me absently.

"Right now? All school" I say

He rolls his eyes

"I didn't mean it like that," He says "Caleb was there when your family had dinner with Marcus and his wife?"

"Yes, but Caleb doesn't know much. He probably assumed your parents are divorced, but he doesn't know you live alone. Also, he wouldn't do that" I say "Is it true?..." I ask him unsure "The thing about the beats…"

He glares at me.

"It's not your business," He says and that's all I need to know that it actually is true.

"Did you told Nita?" I ask him and he rolls his eyes.

"Don't be stupid, Tris." He says "Of course I didn't. Why would I?"

"I don't know, but if she knows maybe she told H.S.H.G. so she could blame me," I say

"Why would she blame you?" He asks

"Because, _duh_ ," I tell him "She wants you to hate me"

"I already do," He says simply

"Well, maybe she doesn't know," I say "But if you didn't tell H.S.H.G. that I'm virgin…"

"And you didn't tell them my parents are divorced…" He continues "Then who did?"

"I don't know, but they obviously want us to hate each other" I say referring to Four and me. "And they are someone close to both of us… if they weren't, they couldn't gather all that information"

"I know we ' _hate'_ each other," Says Four "But we need to work together if we want to find out who is spreading these _rumors_ "

I roll my eyes.

"You're right, but in front of the other people, we have to act like we hate each other," I say "If not, more rumors will be spread"

"Okay." He says rolling his eyes because he knows I'm right "I'll see you on World's History" He starts walking away.

"And English," I say

"And lunch"

"And Calculus"

"And P.E."

"And Music…"

* * *

Four and I are the _Hot Topic_ as Christina calls it. I can hear my name and his every few minutes in the hallways, in the cafeteria and in all the classes. The jokes about my virginity have stopped and of course, no one dares to bother Four. Matthew stopped following me around, and my friends and Uriah (even Marlene) have been constantly asking if I am okay. Most of them think that the post is a lie because I told them so, but Uriah, Christina and Four know it's not. The day itself has been a drama so far and I still have my last class left.

Music.

"So, Tyler, Tris. Who is going to sing first?" Tori asks us.

"Tyler," I say at the same moment Tyler says 'Tris'.

Tori raises an eyebrow at us but keeps with it.

"So, Tyler." She says "What are you going to sing for us?" She asks smiling at him. All the class knows that Tyler sings awfully bad but that doesn't stop Tori from trying to cheer him up. Tyler says he'll sing ' _The Scientist'_ from Coldplay, and I can't but help think: ' _Could he choose something more cliché?'_ Tyler walks up to the stage of the auditorium and Tori starts playing the music. As everyone was expecting, Tyler doesn't even finishes the song. Before he can even reach the second chorus, he runs out of the room in shame.

I don't blame him. Tori doesn't allow us to laugh when someone sings, but if it was allowed, Tyler would be more ashamed than he already is.

The only bad thing is that since Tyler didn't finish his song, I have to sing sooner than I would like.

Tori sighs at the sight of Tyler running away.

"I'll talk to him later," Tori says to herself but everyone listens "So…. Tris, you're next." I walk to her and she is so focused on piano sheets in front of her that she almost doesn't see me.

"Oh, sorry." She says and leaves the piano sheets "What are you going to sing?"

"Uh… that's the thing" I say "I don't know what to sing…" I blush.

Tori smiles.

"You are a soprano, aren't you Tris?" She asks me while she seems to be looking for something in her things. "Why don't you sing _'blow me'_ from P¡nk. You like that?"

I don't. That is not my style that all but when she says it, it sounds like a good idea so I smile a little and nod.

I walk up to the stage and I see Matthew between the people giving me a thumbs up. I can't help but smile, I also roll my eyes, though.

The music starts.

" _White knuckles… and sweaty palms from, hanging on too tight"_ I sing and I can't help but look at Four here and then. If I should sing this song to someone, it'd sure be him. " _Clenched shut jaw. I've got another, headache again tonight… Eyes on fire, eyes on fire, and they burn from all the tears. I've been crying, I've been crying, I've been dying over you. Tie a knot, in the rope, tryna hold_ , _tryna hold but there's nothing to grab so… I let go."_

Four rolls his eyes at me but I can see a trace of a smile on his face.

" _I think I've finally had enough, I think I maybe think too much, I think this might be it for us. Blow me one last kiss… You think I'm just too serious, I think you're full of shit-_ " It's forbidden to say bad words in class, but if it's part of a song Tori lets us. "- _One last kiss. Just when it can't get worse I've had a shit day, you've had a shit day, we've had a shit day. I think that life's too short for this, want back my ignorance and bliss, I think I've had enough of this, blow me one last kiss…"_

My eyes don't leave Four's, and his face has a look of disapproval and, even if he doesn't want to admit it, amusement. It's true we are going to work together to find the one who is spreading rumors, but we still hate each other, right? So it's not wrong if I just sing him a song back. After all, he sang Wonderwall for me.

" _No more sick, whiskey dick, no more battles for me. You'll be callin' a trick cause' you'll no longer sleep. I'll dress nice, I'll look good, I'll go dancing alone… I will laugh, I'll get drunk, I'll take somebody hooome…"_ Someone starts clapping to the rhythm of the music, and the other people follow. I smile and don't stop looking at Four, whose arms are crossed over his chest, refusing to clap with the rest of the group. " _You think I'm just too serious, I think you're full of shit. My head is spinning so, blow me one last kiss. Just when it can't get worse I've had a shit day, you've had a shit day, we've had a shit day. I think that life's too short for this, want back my ignorance and bliss, I think I've had enough of this, blow me one last kiss…"_

I smile at Four and he rolls his eyes, but then he starts clapping too.

" _Blow me one last kiss…"_ I sing " _Blow me one last kiss…"_

The song finishes and everyone claps.

I laugh and thank.

* * *

 **Hey there guys! New update, hope you like it. I want you to know that I am thinking about changing the picture of the cover of the story. If any of you has any ideas or an image that you think could fit,PM me or send me the image to 'donttrytobreakmywalls g m ail' without the '()' . Also, I wanted to say that sometimes I can't update because I take too long checking the grammar since English is not my native language. If you have suggestions for a Beta Reader, tell me please. And by the way, if you have a 'SmuleSing' profile, sing with me! I'm not VIP but I love singing, and my username is: TrisBrightEyes**

 **REVIEW. IT MOTIVATES US TO WRITE.**


	16. Chapter 16: Ignorance

**I THOUGHT YOU HATED ME**

* * *

 _Wednesday-Thursday 21-22nd October 2015_

* * *

 _ **Chapter sixteen: Ignorance**_

* * *

"You know… we should have a signal," Four tells me as we walk into the Lab.

"A signal?" I ask him.

"Yeah. When I want you to follow me so we can talk privately about the gossiping bitch, I'll make the signal, so you know it."

I can't help but roll my eyes.

"This is not an action movie, Four," I smirk as I sit on one of the Lab chairs.

"I know!" he shouts out, totally ignoring my comment. "Scratching the top of our ear - I'll scratch the top of my ear and you'll know that I have something to tell you. Okay?"

"If you'll stop bugging me about it, then yeah," I say. "It's okay."

"Good," he says and smiles.

"So, have you found any clues about-"

"Nothing," he interrupts, not letting me finish my sentence, "It seems like whoever is spreading these rumors is really good at hide-and-seek." He exhales and lets himself fall into the chair next to mine.

Our reputation has taken a nose-dive into free fall. The only ones who don't look at us like we're freaks are our friends and teachers. My situation, I have to say, isn't as bad as Four's. No one has ever dared to snap or make a joke about Four, always afraid that he would beat them up before they could even finish their sentence. But yesterday, for the first time in forever, a guy tried to pick a fight with him. He started making jokes about his 'daddy issues' and Four, of course, beat him to a pulp. Four received a pretty good punch to the jaw, though. The dark purple bruise makes him look tougher. After yesterday, I doubt anyone else will dare to make another joke about Four ever again. At least not in front of him. Still, it's obvious how the respect for him has been disappearing gradually.

I have to say I don't understand teenagers, even though I am one. Why is having 'daddy issues', as everyone is calling it, a reason to laugh at someone? Instead of losing respect for him, shouldn't they have gained it? I mean, he probably has gone through a lot more than the average person. I don't think that is a good enough reason to laugh at him behind his back, but there is no way I can make anyone see that.

Right now, we are in the Lab. School just finished about ten minutes ago. Yesterday, Four and I skipped lunch and we decided to stay after school today to talk about the person that is behind the rumors, but the more we analyze the situation, the more we realize it's useless. There are about six hundred students in our school. If it's a girl, then we have around three hundred suspects, but even with that assumption, it's still practically impossible to figure out.

I sigh.

"The biggest problem is that we probably don't even know her," I say, "It could be someone that hates popular people and is trying to bring us down." I huff and rest my cheek on the palm of my hand, supporting my head with my elbow.

"So you're assuming it's a girl?" Four asks me, looking as clueless as I feel.

"I don't think a guy would be _this_ interested in gossip," I say dripping with sarcasm.

"Maybe his, _or her,_ interest is something personal, not gossip," he comments. "To publish such personal stuff, they must have individual motives." He passes his hand through his hair, messing it up. He hasn't cut it since the start of school in August. The soft dark brown waves fall onto his forehead, giving him a relaxed appearance, the total opposite of his serious look when his hair is short. He even looks a little kinder.

"What?" he asks me, and I realize I've been staring too long.

"Nothing," I say to cover up my embarrassment and look away. "I just noticed that you haven't cut your hair."

"So, we're trying to figure out who spread the rumors and you're noticing that I haven't cut my hair?" he asks, raising his eyebrows.

I shrug.

Then suddenly an idea hits me like lightning.

"Wait. The photo that was published has the date of when it was taken, right?" I ask Four, standing up from my chair to look in my messenger bag for my phone. Four beats me to it using his own phone to find the picture still posted by H.S.H.G.

"It does," he says showing me the picture.

 **10/15/2015**

That's the date it reads on the right-hand corner of the photograph.

"Why is the date important?" Four asks, huffing to blow his hair off of his forehead.

"Because Marcus' office has video cameras!" I say and I see him cringe when I say 'Marcus'. "We could check that day's recordings and find out who did it." Four's eyes go wide and I see a slow smile starting to form. He stands up and suddenly, grabs me by my waist and grips me tightly before he raises me up and then…

 _Spins me around?_

"You're a genius, Tris!" He says turning us around and around and around. I let out a squeal and put my hands onto his shoulders to avoid feeling like I'm going to fall. I have to admit; I thought he was going to do something more violent. To say I was surprised when he started spinning us is an understatement.

"Hey! Let me go!" I yell at him as firmly as I can. He laughs and drops me down onto the floor. I hold onto the table, and somehow land on my feet, instead of the floor. "Idiot," I say unconvincingly.

"However," he continues ignoring me again and sitting down. "The recordings are erased after seven days. So if we want to get that video, we need to do it now," he says and I sense something like worry in his eyes.

"It's been six days… we only have today and tomorrow," I say looking down at him since he is sitting and I am not. "Can we do it?"

"Well, I know I can. The system is not hard to hack," he tells me while staring through eyes empty of emotion as if he's thinking hard about something. "What worries me is that hacking a school's system is kind of illegal and even if we do get the video, we can't be sure that the one who took the picture is the same person who wants to bring us down."

I sigh.

"Well… yeah. The illegal part also worries me, but we _have_ to try," I tell him while leaning in. "Maybe the person who took the picture isn't the one who is spreading the rumors, but they probably know who it is. I am not saying they have seen each other, but they at least must have each other's e-mail addresses. If not, the person who took the picture wouldn't have been able to send it."

"And what do we do when we know who took the picture?" Four asks me, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back into the chair, totally indifferent. "We interrogate them? And what if they won't tell us? I am pretty sure you don't want to kidnap or torture anybody."

"Do you?" I ask him raising my brows.

He shrugs and I roll my eyes.

"Four, we have to at least _try_ ," I tell him. "Don't you want to find out who is doing this?"

I can see him clenching his jaw. He closes his eyes and sighs.

"Yeah. I do." He stands up and gets his backpack from the floor. "But I am not going to waste my time on this anymore if I realize it's useless. I'll see you tomorrow here. Same time." When he says this, he isn't even looking at me. Instead, his eyes are on the wall behind me. What is this behavior? Does he know something I don't? Is he feeling… _guilty_ for something? Why else wouldn't he be able to look me in the eye?

He starts to walk away, hands gripping tightly on his backpack.

"Is that all?" I ask him. "Are you just going to leave like that?"

He stops for a second, looking back to give me his signature smirk before walking away, answering my question without words.

I sigh and slam my head against the Lab table.

* * *

"Hey, Tris!" Christina says, appearing out of nowhere when I close my locker door.

"Hey," I say, adjusting my messenger bag on my shoulder. "What's up?"

"Nothing much. But Uriah was worried when you didn't came to lunch yesterday," she says rolling her eyes. "So to calm him down, I told him I'd look for you." She smiles and winks at me. I laugh.

"Thank you for that, I guess," I tell her.

"Well, it wasn't for free," she says and narrows her eyes at me. "So, where were you yesterday at lunch?"

I raise my eyebrows.

"So, the cost of calming down Uriah is an answer?" I ask her, even though I already know the answer.

"Well, _duh_ ," she says rolling her eyes and hits me in the head.

"Hey!" I say and rub the part of my head she hit.

"Are you going to answer or not?" she asks me raising an eyebrow.

"I wasn't doing anything," I say casually, looking her in the eye while I keep rubbing the spot on my head. "I just didn't feel like going into the cafeteria where everyone would see me and make stupid jokes about my virginity."

"Well, it was coincidental that Four also decided not to come to lunch that day," she says, checking for my reaction.

Hanging around someone like Christina, who is _excellent_ at detecting lies, trains you to be a good liar. That's why when her eyes narrow, mine go wide in surprise, the precise expression I should have if I hadn't been with Four yesterday at lunch, conveying the feeling I should feel if I didn't know that Four also skipped lunch yesterday. I don't like to lie to Christina, but I told Four I wouldn't tell, and therefore I cannot tell.

"Seriously? Why?" I ask her furrowing my brows.

"I was hoping _you_ could tell me why," she says and looks away. "But looks like you know nothing either."

"Why do you want to know why?" I ask her, looking for her gaze, like I really don't know anything at all. "Do you think he's up to something?"

"I think he's looking for the one who posted the rumors," she says and I keep my face indifferent.

"Well, if I were him, I would too," I say. "I don't because my rumor isn't as bad as his," I shrug.

"Yeah, I know he must have his reasons," Christina tells me. "But it worries me. God knows what Four is capable of doing once he finds the culprit."

I hear an alarm in my head, but I ignore it, not wanting to even suspect Christina as the one who is spreading the rumors.

"He'd give them what they deserve," I tell her and pay attention to her face, to her gestures. "If he wants to find the culprit, I don't think we should stop him. Actually, I think we should help him."

"No!" Christina says alarmed with eyes wide and hands up, as if she is literally trying to stop him. "I don't even know for sure if he _is_ looking for the gossiper. We cannot just go and offer our help. Especially because he might think that _we_ are the gossiper"

"He has no reason to think I might be the gossiper," I tell her.

"Of course he has!" she answers back. "H.S.H.G. said it themselves. Don't you remember? _'So here is Tris' revenge! Tris' comeback to this social war!'_ " she says this in her best radio voice impersonation.

 _Hmmm, for being just a reader, she seems to remember pretty well what the post said. She remembers it as well as a writer remembers his play,_ my subconscious tells me.

"Well, yeah, you're right," I tell her. "But if he is actually looking for the gossiper, you cannot stop him."

"I won't," she says sighing.

Then, there's a beep on her phone.

Christina purses her lips and ignores it.

"Very well," I say.

By now, 'normal' Christina should have already realized that I was lying by the way I defended Four. And if she hasn't realized it yet, than at least she should have teased me about having feelings for Four, because in her mind that would be the only reason why I would defend him. But somehow I know this is not 'normal' Christina. Something else is bothering her. Bothering her enough to overlook my lying behavior. I'm good at lying, but not good enough to surpass Christina's ability to detect lies.

If there were one thing that could distract her from my nervous eyes and exaggerated gestures, than it would be trying to hide her own truth - trying to lie a good lie.

I don't want to believe it, but I might have to start considering that Christina could be the one that is spreading the rumors.

Still, until it can be proven otherwise, I refuse to believe she is the gossiper.

"We should get going to the cafeteria," Christina says. "If we don't, Uriah is going to come out here himself."

"You're right," I say and sigh when we start walking. "He is way too overprotective," I add trying to change the subject

"What else are you expecting? You've left him once already," she says. "I guess he wants to make sure it doesn't happen twice."

"I guess you're right," I say because there is nothing else to say.

"I _am_ right!" she exclaims and as quickly as that, she returns to the Christina I know again.

I smile.

Right before we walk into the cafeteria we hear lots of laughter coming from inside.

"What's that?" I ask Christina.

Christina looks at me and shrugs without saying a word.

We open the cafeteria doors only to see everyone laughing at something on their phones.

The only table that is totally quiet is our table.

 _Not again._

I walk towards the table to see everyone looking worriedly at Uriah.

"What's going on here?" I ask them.

"H.S.H.G. again," Four answers me. "This time it's about Uriah"

"Yeah… I could tell that much." I glance around and see a bunch of stares directed at our table.

I look at Uriah and see his shocked expression while looking down at his own phone.

"What does it say?" I ask Zeke.

"It's a video," he tells me, "from that time he _tried_ to sing 'Run Away With Me' in elementary school and he peed his pants."

"Ooh… I remember that," I say worriedly.

"Just shut up, would you guys?" Uriah says, passing his fingers through his hair.

"Calm down," Will says. "It's not that bad, and it's not even that funny," he says trying to ignore the people around them cracking up with laughter.

"Well…" I say, but receive a glare from Uriah.

"You have to admit it was pretty funny, Uriah." I hear a way too familiar voice behind me.

I turn around.

"Marlene…"

"Hi, Tris," she says with a sideways smile and a sickly sweet tone. "It's been a long time, hasn't it?"

"And I see that time hasn't made you any less bitchy," I tell her.

"Bitchy? Me?" She acts surprised. "Actually, I came here to check on my best friend out of the kindness of my heart."

"Since when am I your best friend?" Uriah asks angrily.

"I wasn't talking about you, Uriah. I was talking about Lynn," Marlene says and waves at her. Lynn waves back without any emotion. "But since I'm here, I guess I could ask about how you're doin' too." She smiles innocently at Uriah and he huffs.

"Marlene, have you been shopping lately?" I ask her.

"Why do you ask?" she responds, finally letting go of the sweet voice.

"Because they are selling lives at the mall," I shoot back. "You should really get one."

She narrows her eyes.

Most of the students are too busy watching Uriah's video on their smart phones now, so they aren't paying any attention to us. I can see the alarm in Shauna's eyes when she sees Marlene taking a step closer to me. I also get a glimpse of Zeke's worried face and Lynn's wary one.

"Don't mess with me, Tris," Marlene says slowly. "You already have enough trouble with H.S.H.G. Do you really want trouble with me, too?"

"You are not even close to ' _trouble_ ' to me," I say, taking a step closer to her, standing straight with my chin held high. "You are an ' _inconvenience_ ' tops."

She laughs.

"So is that a dare, Prior?" she asks and pushes me back. "Do you really want to see what I'm capable of?" She pushes me again and I stumble.

A couple of months ago I would've sworn to God that I wasn't capable of hurting someone as loveable as Marlene. I would've said that getting into a fight with someone that has been my friend for so long was stupid, and that I'd never ever in my life even _consider_ the possibility of resolving a problem with Marlene using punches. Now, I realize that I'd have been really, really, _really_ wrong.

I start walking angrily towards Marlene, ready to punch her, but a pair of arms grabs me by the waist and stops me.

"We don't want to give H.S.H.G. something else to post, Tris," Zeke whispers to me in my ear.

I sigh.

"You're right, Zeke," I say and stop fighting him. He lets me go and we see Marlene has a smirk plastered to her face, her arms crossed over her chest.

"Well, now that I see that you're all good, I guess I better go," she says and walks away heading back to her own table.

I know that fighting wouldn't have been good for anyone, but I wanted to erase that smirk off her face _so_ badly.

"She had to have given the video to H.S.H.G.," says Will. "Who else could it have been?"

"If she gave the video to them, then she should know who the person behind this is, right?" Al asks.

"I don't think that's how things are," Christina says. "Marlene has done a lot of things to us, but I don't think she'd do that just to hurt Uriah."

"Then who did it?" I ask Christina. "The only people who have Uriah's video is a very small number. Besides Marlene, the only other ones are us." I gesture to the whole group. "And I don't think any of us would hurt Uriah. Ever."

"Tris is right," Lauren says. "Marlene hates us now. She has every reason to want to hurt us. Especially Uriah."

"I hate to admit it," Lynn says. "But they're right, Chris. The most probable explanation is that Marlene shared the video with H.S.H.G."

Christina looks like she is going to argue. She opens her mouth with determination, but then closes it again. I can see through her eyes confusion, deception and something else I can't quite define.

Christina sighs.

"Yeah… sorry, I guess it just seemed unbelievable she'd do something like this," she says.

"Well, it does seem unbelievable," Al says sighing as well.

"Things change, people change," Four says while standing up. "We just have to accept that more than one person out there hates us, and they are likely conspiring against us."

He walks out through the cafeteria doors without saying anything else. I hear my friends continuing to talk and then I see Four scratching the top of his ear an instant before the doors close behind him.

 _I can't believe I'm doing this._

"Hey guys, I'll be right back," I tell them. "I have Calculus next and I need to get my stuff."

"Fine, see you," says Christina and the others just wave goodbye to me.

I walk through the cafeteria exit and find Four waiting for me.

"What do you want to talk about?" I ask him.

"We're doing it now," he says very firmly.

"Uh… excuse me, doing what exactly?" I ask him crossing my arms over my chest.

"We're going to hack the security system," he says.

My eyes go wide.

"Wait, you mean, like, right now?" I ask him.

"Yes. I mean ' _like, right now',_ " he says and pulls my arm to wherever we're going.

"Why right now?" I ask him. "Why at the most dangerous time of the day? Right when all the students are in school?"

"Because the librarian's lunch break starts in five minutes," he says.

"Why not do it after school when her schedule ends?" I ask him. I'm walking fast to keep up with his pace. "And how do you know the librarian's schedule?"

"Because, when school ends the security cameras in the library are activated," he tells me ignoring my last question. "The only time during the day when there are no cameras or librarian to see what we're doing is in…exactly four minutes," he says while looking at his watch.

The bell rings just as we arrive at the corner of the hallway that leads to the school's library.

Four puts a finger over his mouth to make me understand that I have to be silent.

I hear the librarian's keys locking the door then seconds later she walks past us on her way to her lunch break. She wears glasses like most school librarians do, and her black hair is in a tight bun behind her head. Her heels make a _click, clack_ sound for a while against the floor before she disappears down the hallway that leads to the school's exit.

"So what now?" I ask him. "She locked the door."

"I came prepared," Four says and retrieves a key from his pocket before turning to me with a smirk and a wink.

I roll my eyes.

"Come on number boy, we have a culprit to find," I say and walk to the library entrance.

Four struggles a little to open the library door. Looking at his focused face and the determination in his eyes makes me wonder if Christina is right – that something bad could happen if Four finds out who the gossiper is…

* * *

" _Tobias…" I said trying to keep my voice firm and intimidating. "I really need to talk to you."_

" _Yeah? What's up Beatrice?" he asked me shyly and smiled lightly at me._

" _Marlene is my very best friend, and she told me you broke up with her," I said, crossing my arms over my chest._

 _I barely knew Tobias Eaton._

 _All I knew about him came from the time his family had dinner with mine for the first time two weeks ago. Before that, all I knew was that there was this really cute boy in my elementary school who Marlene had a crush on. Days ago Marlene and he had started dating, and I was really happy for her. Tobias was her very first boyfriend ever and she couldn't be happier. The bad thing was that he had broke up with her just yesterday. Marlene told me he said that having a girlfriend was_ _boring_ _. I promised Marlene I'd make him pay…_

 _So here I was._

" _I don't want to be rude," he said to me as he scratched the back of his neck. "But I think that's none of your business."_

" _Yeah! It is!" I yelled back at him. "She is my best friend, and I can't believe you hurt her this way!"_

" _Um… did she tell you why I broke up with her?" he asked blushing slightly._

" _Yeah, she did," I said. "And I think you're the worst person ever!" I was so angry that I felt my cheeks get hot and my hands turning into fists._

 _Never in my nine years of life had I experienced something as strong as this. I thought Tobias was a good guy, a gentleman and a nice person, but after what he did to Marlene, making her believe he loved her just to break up with her out of boredom one week later, I couldn't even look at him without getting mad. Watching high school movies had taught me that cute boys were not to be trusted, but I didn't think that Tobias was like that. At the time, I thought I hated him, and I couldn't quite find a way to express through words how much I did._

 _For the first time in my life, I wanted to punch someone._

" _I hate you, Tobias Eaton!" I told him while angry tears spilled down my cheeks. "Because of you Marlene is really sad! She won't even laugh at my jokes! I_ _so_ _hate you!" I started to run away but he grabbed my arm._

" _I'm really sorry, Beatrice," he told me with worried and surprised eyes. "But I can't help how I feel…"_

 _I pulled my arm out of his grip._

" _Yeah, you 'can't help_ ' _but feel bored with Marlene, right?" I responded and ran away from there._

 _I started to look for Caleb at the lunch tables. I felt everyone looking at me because of my red eyes, but I didn't care._

 _I found Caleb talking to Susan, our neighbor, and I threw myself into his arms and started sniffling uncontrollably._

" _Beatrice?" he asked, concerned. "Why are you crying?"_

 _I looked at Caleb._

" _I hate Tobias, Caleb. I hate him!"_

* * *

Four opens the door to the library.

"Are you ready?"

* * *

 **A.N. Hey! It's been a really long time since the last update and I'm really sorry. I had personal issues and also didn't know what I wanted for this chapter. I know most of you are probably mad at me for taking so long and I hope you don't take your anger out on the story. On the bright side, I finally found someone to help me with my grammar -well, she actually found _me_ -. Her name is Eunice339 and her edits are amazing. Hopefully this story will become better thanks to her.**

 **REVIEW. It makes me happy... c:**


	17. Chapter 17: Riptide

**I THOUGHT YOU HATED ME**

* * *

 _Thursday 22nd October 2015_

* * *

 _ **Chapter seventeen: Riptide**_

* * *

I am barely inside the library when I feel a shiver go down my spine. The adrenaline I'm feeling from doing something forbidden is running through my veins, and even though I know the hallway is empty, I still feel the need to check behind me again before I finally close the door.

"Should we lock it?" I ask Four.

I look around to take in the full view of the library. I'm familiar with it since not long ago I had to 'volunteer' before school to reshelve books for a whole week as a part of a punishment. I remember that week because Four kept me company through my punishment. Except for a few minor things, those days were actually nice and calm with Four and I helping each other. Seems hard to believe that just two months ago we were both here, talking cheerfully, and now here we are trying to hack into our school's database.

 _How funny._

"No," he tells me. "We may have to get out of here fast, so it's safer to leave it unlocked. We'll have to lock it when we leave, though."

He is already at the computer keyboard, his fingers clicking and typing faster than I can even think, with boxes and files popping up onto the computer screen. The white glow of the monitor lights his determined face. Even with the distance between us, I can still clearly see his focused eyes.

" _God knows what Four is capable of doing once he finds the culprit."_ Christina's words ring inside my head, but I quickly shake my head to get rid of them.

"What class are we skipping?" Four asks me.

"Calculus," I tell him. "I'm going to keep an eye on the hallway to make sure no one comes in."

I walk towards the door and attempt to look through the small glass opening at the top of the door, but I am barely tall enough to see through it. I'm pretty sure that no one would come in, though. Everyone is in class and none of the teachers would come by since they know the librarian isn't here. I am just keeping watch over everything so I don't feel so useless. Actually, I don't really know what I'm doing here. Four could have done this all on his own.

"Tris," he calls.

"Mhm?" I answer, my eyes still on the hallway.

"Are you okay?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" I ask him.

"Well, you know…" he says over the sound of his typing in the background. "Marlene was pretty harsh to you today."

"You think so?" I ask indifferently, shifting my focus to the announcements attached to the cork board hanging on the wall in front of the library.

"Well, _duh,_ " he says.

I'm avoiding his face, so I don't know if he's being serious or is just asking out of politeness.

"…She has always hated you, you know?"

Now I turn around and look at him. His eyes are fixed on the computer screen, expressionless. You would think he was a mannequin if it wasn't for his fast moving fingers. Four has always been somewhat hard to read. I never know what he is thinking about. Sometimes, talking to him is like walking in the dark. There's uncertainty, doubt and something similar to fear.

"Has she?" I ask him. "As far as I know, she didn't start hating me until Uriah and I started dating"

"You're wrong," he says. "It started far sooner than that."

"How would you know?"

"Isn't hard to figure out," he says and snorts. "You really are slow aren't you?"

I roll my eyes.

"Need I remind you that half of my classes are AP?" I reply back.

"That's not the kind of 'slow' I meant," he says sighing. "What I mean is that for being as perceptive and intuitive as you are, you surely took a long time to realize that someone was betraying you."

"I can't deny that," I admit. "After all, I've been betrayed several times in the past month."

Silence.

"Do you remember the time when you confronted me about breaking up with Marlene?" he asks.

I almost laugh at the question. It's not like I would ever forget such a moment; the moment I first told Four I hated him. I know I should probably use my mind to remember more useful things, like my first birthday or my elementary school graduation, but it seems I don't get a say in what my mind chooses to recall. Apparently, it decided that I would remember that precise moment clear as water for the rest of my life.

"Hard to forget," I respond with a huff.

"Yeah…I'm just curious, what did Marlene tell you was my reason for breaking up with her?"

"Well-"

A beeping sound interrupts me.

"What's that?" I ask Four, moving closer to the computer.

"It's done," he says. "I'm in the system."

When I take a look at the screen all I see are endless columns of folders.

 _ **FreshmanSchedules 2015-2016**_

 _ **SophomoreSchedules 2015-2016**_

 _ **JuniorSchedules 2015-2016**_

 _ **SeniorSchedules 2015-2016**_

 _ **FreshmanStudentsExpedients A-H**_

 _ **FreshmanStudentsExpedients I-O**_

 _ **FreshmanStudentsExpedients P-V**_

And so on…

"Well, look for the video then!" I hurry him.

"Wait," he says. "I've got to do something first."

He clicks on a folder that reads: _**SeniorGrades A-H**_

"Really?" I ask him. "You're going to change your grades?"

"Yep. I need to graduate, you know."

I roll my eyes.

"Hurry up then," I tell him as I see him click on the folder that contains his grades.

' _Eaton Tobias'_

That's what it reads.

It's been a long time since I've heard the name 'Tobias' said out loud. It's not a common name, and Four doesn't like to be called that anymore. Plus, everyone else is used to calling him Four now. After all, Four not only changed his name, he also changed himself too. The sweet, cute and polite Tobias Eaton was replaced by the hard-to-break shell of 'Four'. It's hard to believe they are the same person, but sometimes, when Four is relaxed enough, I can still see traces of the Tobias I once knew.

"Done," he says smirking at me. "Want to change your grades, too?"

I roll my eyes again.

"Just look for the video, Four," I say.

"Fine, fine – will do."

When he finally finds the folder with the footage, I see that the folders are ordered not by date or time, but by rooms. All the rooms and hallways that have security cameras around them are included here. Several folders simply have the word 'Hallway' before some numbers and letters that look like coordinates.

Four clicks on the folder that contains the recordings of the 'Principal's Office'.

"There is a video for each day. That means we'll have to watch it in quick motion," Four explains.

He starts the video.

On the computer screen, it shows Marcus' office, recorded from the right corner of the room. His office is quite big, and in the video I can see that Marcus is stressed – even if it's in quick motion. He is only writing and signing documents, and every now and then he refills his coffee cup. Several people walk in and out the office, mostly teachers.

Seeing Marcus' routine is far more boring than I thought it would be _._ I thought hacking the school's database would be more… _exciting_? Not that I'm complaining, though. It's not that exciting because it's unlikely that we will be discovered, and that makes me feel safer and lessens the adrenaline now, turning it into simple anxiety.

Four looks pretty calm and uninterested, though. As if he hacked schools' databases every now and then.

Well, now that I think about it, it's pretty _possible_ he actually does.

"There's only fifteen minutes left before the librarian comes back," Four says and sighs.

"And we haven't found anything," I say and sit in the chair next to Four.

Four slows the video to normal speed and the timestamp posted on the left upper corner of the screen reads **15:35**. In the video, we hear the ring of the school bell indicating the end of school.

"Why did you put it on normal speed?" I ask Four.

"Whoever took the picture probably did it around that time," he says, looking at the screen.

In the monitor, Marcus receives a call and when he finishes it he stands up from his chair and walks out of the office. Five seconds after he walks out, the door opens again, but before we can see the person who is walking inside, the screen goes black. Then in white letters, the words 'I win' are written across the screen.

"What the hell is this?" Four says through gritted teeth and stands up from the chair with anger written all over his face.

Next, the screen returns to normal just in time to see the door closing again. Marcus walks in looking angry and tired eleven seconds later according to the timestamp.

"I can't believe it!" Four says squeezing the bridge of his nose. "We've been tricked!" Then, through angry eyes, he looks at me. "How can you be so calm, Prior?"

I smile.

"And you said I'm the 'slow' one," I can't help but smirk. "Don't you realize he just gave us clues?" I move over to the chair he vacated and rewind the video to the exact moment the door is about to close. I pause the video and zoom in closer to the door. A male's arm covered with a blue flannel sleeve is closing the door on the monitor screen.

" _He_ is a guy, and apparently, he knows how to hack into the school's database _and_ modify videos," I tell Four, still typing on the computer.

"Well, now what? We go around asking who knows how to hack the school's database?" he asks rolling his eyes.

"Don't complain," I tell him. "Moments ago we had around five hundred suspects. Now we have fifty tops."

"I can't believe he's been a step ahead all this time," Four says and passes his fingers through his hair, making it messier than it already was.

"Don't be so grumpy," I tell him. "At least we know more than we did before."

"I guess you're right," Four says. "But still, there's no guarantee the one who took the picture is the gossiper."

"Then why did he erase that part of the video?" I ask him. "There's something he doesn't want us to see, obviously."

"It could be a distraction," Four says. "Let's check the rest of the video."

I play the video in quick motion, but nothing else is there. No black screen nor people taking pictures. Not even Marcus' family photo.

"Nothing. See?" I tell Four.

I look through several other folders, looking for the one that contains the security recordings of the camera that is right in front of Marcus' office door. I open the file from the fifteenth day of October and go to the same time the guy entered the office on the other video.

But just like last time, the screen goes black and the words 'I win' are written across it again.

"Well, now we also now he is smart enough to cover all bases," Four says. "And full of himself."

"You're one to talk," I reply.

"Still, this is nonsense," Four says in deep thought. "I was almost one hundred percent sure it was Christina…"

I sigh.

"I also had my doubts," I admit. "She's been acting pretty suspicious."

"Well, we'll have to talk about it after school because the librarian's lunch break is about to end," he tells me. From behind me, he extends his arms forward and types more than a few things on the keyboard. His elbow brushes my shoulder several times, but I try to look like I don't care.

Finally, he turns the screen off and steps back so I stand up.

"Let's get out of here," I say and open the door. Four follows after me and locks the door.

"What class is next?" Four asks turning towards me.

"We have gym class," I tell him, despising the fact that our schedules are way too similar.

The bell rings and we look at each other.

"Ok, I'll see you in the Lab at the end of school," Four says walking in the opposite direction from me. "Don't forget."

"I won't," I tell him.

Classes usually go slow for me, since most of them bore me to death. But now that I have something to think about, everything passes by in a snap.

If Christina has nothing to do with this, then why has she been acting so suspicious? Could it be possible that maybe it's not just one gossiper but a group of them? Maybe there's a team of them working together. Maybe… but something tells me it's not that way, that it is just one or two people with a specific objective. But what could be so important to make all this fuss? And who could be smart and cold enough to plan it all out?

First, he, she or they posted that I was a virgin. Posting that kind of thing on Facebook could only mean the objective was to make me less 'popular' as Christina would say. There are worst things that could have been posted, but truthfully the post was kind of harmless, though still degrading for my reputation. Then, Four's family issues were posted, which not only violates Four's right to privacy, but also is really cruel. And then, Uriah's video was posted. That was not as cruel as Four's post, but more embarrassing than mine.

The first post was inoffensive but degrading, the second one cruel and the third one funny.

If the objective was to only get public attention and social popularity, than I wouldn't post these kinds of things. I'd post humorous and stereotypically stuff. Instead, the information that was published was the type of information that would only harm our social status. Nothing more, nothing less.

So the final question is, what benefit would anyone get out of our reputations going down?

The bell rings, indicating that the last class is over.

I stand up and then the answer hits me.

 _The Winter Dance._

All of us - Four, Uriah and I - are nominated for the Winter Dance King & Queen.

So…

Whoever is behind this probably wants us to lose votes. So that could only mean that _he_ or she or they…

 _Are also nominated._

 _And want to win._

The only other ones nominated and don't have a rumor posted about them yet are Susan Black, Nita Colucci and some other guy. I was so startled when I heard Uriah was nominated, that I didn't hear who else was nominated for Winter Dance King.

I have to ask someone who it is.

Most people have already left the Music room, so I walk out and I look around to see if any of my friends are anywhere to be seen.

I see Shauna walking to the lockers and I run toward her.

"Hey, Shauna!" I call out to her, determined to ask her who was the last nominated guy.

When Shauna turns to look at me, I see anger across her face, but it's gone as fast as it came.

"What's up, Tris?" She asks me without emotion.

"Umm… well, nothing much," I say, my goal suddenly forgotten. "Are you okay?" I ask concerned.

I can see her wringing her hands into fists.

"Sure," she says with the worst attempt at a smile I've ever seen.

I decide to ignore it.

"Well…" I start warily. "Do you remember who was the last guy nominated for the Winter King?"

Shauna seems annoyed by my question.

"It was Matthew Powell," she says and then pinches the bridge of her nose, looking stressed. "Why do you want to know that right now, Tris?"

So that's why everyone seems to respect Matthew now. I still remember that he was kind of stalking me the day after the post about my virginity was published. He seemed pretty obsessed but innocent. Then again, he is pretty smart and he surely would know how to hack a school's database. He is a guy and he dresses in flannel shirts sometimes. He is nominated to Winter King and he is clever enough to get all the information that was posted.

"Um… no reason at all," I say, looking at Shauna's angry eyes again. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yes. I am." Then she walks away.

I think I am going to ignore that.

Again.

Anyway, I have to tell Four.

I start running to the lab, crashing into several people on the way there and saying numerous ' _I'm sorry_ s' and ' _Excuse me_ s'.

I have to tell Four about this.

Now we are down to two possible suspects; Nita Colucci and Matthew Powell. I am not going to even count Susan as a suspect because it's impossible she could do something like this just to win a stupid crown.

Then, I run into someone.

"I'm sorry," I say again and then realize that the 'someone' is Four.

"Four!" I say, surprised at the same time he says, "Tris!"

"I was looking for you!" I tell him. "I know who the gossiper is!"

"I know," he says smirking. "I know too!"

"They are posting rumors about us because we were all nominated for King and Queen of the Winter Dance," I say rambling.

He nods.

"And the gossiper is someone who is also nominated and wants to win," he says speaking my thoughts.

"Yeah. That leaves Matthew and Nita as suspects," I tell him.

"I know, but then why is Christina acting so suspicious?" Four asks.

I look around and see that there are still a lot of people in the hallway. People who could be listening to us and blab to Matthew or Nita that we suspect them. They could tell someone else that we are trying to find the culprit, and more importantly, they could spread rumors that Four and I are dating or something stupid like last time.

So, instead of answering Four's question, I scratch the top of my ear and head towards the Lab.

I don't need to check behind me to know that Four is following.

* * *

 **A/N: Hey there! I hope you're all doing fine. Since it's getting _really_ obvious who is the gossiper, I thought I'd make a CONTEST. _SO THIS IS WHAT YOU GOT TO DO TO PARTICIPATE:_ You have to review and say who you think the gossiper(s) is/are and why. You only have one chance. The WINNER will get the next  TWO chapters before I post them in Fan Fiction. The contest ends when someone guesses who the gossiper is or when I reveal her/his/their identity. What happens first.**

 **If you don't have idea who the gossiper is, but still want to get a chapter in advance then you can participate in THIS CONTEST. _WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO TO PARTICIPATE:_ You have to review telling me _what_ do you think is the _REAL_ reason why Four broke up with Marlene in elementary school. If you guess correctly, then you'll get  ONE chapter before I post it. This contest ends when I publish the eighteenth chapter.**

 **I want to thank Eunice339 for being my Beta Reader and helping me with the story.**

 **REVIEW. IT MOTIVATES ME TO WRITE :)**

 **Happy guessing and may the odds be in your favor ;)**


	18. Chapter 18: Say Something

**I THOUGHT YOU HATED ME**

* * *

 _Friday 23_ _rd_ _October 2015_

* * *

 _ **Chapter eighteenth: Say something**_

* * *

Yesterday after school, Four and I ended up talking about the gossiper until five o'clock.

On the one hand, I really want to know who it is, but on the other hand, I feel like this issue is taking way too much time away from my life. Lately, it feels like chasing after that mean gossiper is all I do. I have been thinking about just giving up. What was posted about me wasn't _that_ bad and I can deal with the entire school knowing I'm a virgin. Don't get me wrong, I still feel pissed every time someone makes a joke about my lack of experience with intimacy – because people _still_ do joke about it – but I know that it'll eventually blow over. And also, it's not like I care if I'm Winter Queen or not.

I really want to stop stressing about this meaningless topic, but I just _can't_. There's something that doesn't quite let me give it up. Sure, I hate that someone is making other people suffer just for a silly crown, but that's not the main reason. If I'm truthful with myself…

I _can't_ let it go because I don't want Four to have to deal with this alone.

When they posted Four's family secrets on H.S.H.G. he lost a lot of things, like his privacy and the respect from his friends. He won't admit it, but Four is scared to show his true self in front of others. That's why he is always so reserved and secretive about his personal life. And now someone has decided it is just _fine_ to publish on social media all the problems he's been trying to hide. I know he is angry, and that's why he wants to find the culprit, and that's the reason why I have to help him. Because even though I don't know what it feels like to go through what he has gone through, I understand why he feels that way. And if there were anything worse than going through hell, it'd be going through hell alone.

I sigh and put my book in my locker, trying to distract myself from that realization.

"Hey, Beatrice," says Caleb, opening up his locker right next to mine. "Your essay was pretty good. I didn't know Four could write."

He is talking about the English essay – the one Four and I were paired up for not too long ago. We decided on the topic of 'loss', and overall our essay was pretty good. Just like all the other pairs, Four and I had to read our essay in front of the class. Apparently, a lot of people liked it. Caleb's work was also amazing. He was paired with an upper-class girl I don't really know.

"I noticed you wrote all of the last parts, though," Caleb says smiling.

"Really?" I ask him closing my locker. "How?"

"Well, I know my sister," he says pushing his books inside his locker.

"Your essay was also pretty good too," I tell him. "I notice you wrote it _all_ , though."

He laughs.

"Well, by the way, are you going to the party with Christina?" he asks me.

 _Party?_

I look at him totally confused, not knowing at all what he is talking about.

"If you're not going with Christina, I can give you a ride," he continues as he closes his locker. He then looks at me, seeing my confused expression.

"Caleb, what party are you talking about?" I finally ask him.

He stares with wide eyes at me then shakes his head in disapproval and slight amusement.

"Beatrice, please don't tell me you forgot about Uriah's birthday party… _again_?" he says.

"Oh, my gosh! I can't believe I forgot again!" I yell, banging my head against the locker.

Last year I had forgotten Uriah's birthday party and arrived late. It was supposed to be a surprise birthday party, meaning that I had to get there _before_ Uriah, so I could shout out 'Happy Birthday!' to him along with the other guests when he walked into the room. Unfortunately, I arrived forty minutes _after_ Uriah because I forgot about it and had to go buy a last-minute present.

"You are hopeless," Caleb says, still amused. "Well, I have to go, but I'll see you later." He walks away towards the school's exit. As I watch him leave, I catch sight of Four a few feet away from me scratching the top of his right ear, not too casually I might add. Then, he turns to walk away and I know that he wants me to follow him.

 _Please, no more talk about the gossiper again._

I sigh and follow after him.

It looks like he's walking towards the library. I guess that's because the hallways around the library are usually the first ones to empty out. I follow behind him, giving several feet of distance between us so no one will realize we are going to the same place.

While I walk, I try to think about what to give Uriah for his birthday. Although he isn't the type of person to get mad at me for not giving him a present, I'm not the type of person who would just not give her boyfriend anything – even if said boyfriend cheated on me a month ago with my elementary school best friend. Since we started dating, Uriah has always been kind and patient with me, but when I am with him, I don't feel like a girl should feel when she is with her boyfriend. And lately, instead of a relationship, it feels more like an obligation – something I _have_ to do.

Four and I finally arrive at an empty hallway. He turns around and smirks at me.

"So what do you want to talk about?" I ask, my mind still half-thinking about what to give Uriah.

"Since today is your boyfriend's birthday party…" _God, even_ he _remembered it!_ "…I thought we could take advantage of it and investigate our two suspects," he tells me. "It'll be a great opportunity for you to talk to Matthew and try to figure out if it was him."

"So, does that mean you're going to investigate Nita?" I ask raising my eyebrows. "Will you be able to think objectively about your own girlfriend?"

Four snorts. "Come on. You, me and the whole school know I am not serious about Nita," he says rolling his eyes. "Anyway, all we have to do is ask them where they were last Friday."

"Right, like they're going to admit to us, ' _Oh, I was just taking a picture of Marcus' family so I could post it on H.S.H.G.,_ '" I tell him. "Also, why do we even need to ask Nita? She's a girl, and the person who took the picture was a guy."

He rolls his eyes at me. "You may be right, but if they are the gossiper, then they will likely get nervous when we ask," Four says. "And anyway, Matthew likes you, so he'll probably answer any question you ask him. It'll be totally easy."

"So, I'm supposed to spend time investigating a guy that likes me instead of being with my boyfriend at his own birthday party?" I ask. "Yeah, sounds totally easy _,_ " I say, my voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Come on, Tris," Four says.

"Yeah, you say that because you get to investigate your own girlfriend," I tell him. "No one is going to think that's weird. I already have a bad reputation, Four. I don't need people to think I'm the one cheating on Uriah now."

"No one will think that. You have shown everyone that you are an honorable person," Four says. "We all know that even if you don't love Uriah anymore, you'd never do something so cruel and stupid. It's just not you."

I look at him, feeling my cheeks getting hot. "Who says I don't love Uriah?" I ask him blushing.

He laughs. "Well, it's pretty obvious," Four says. "How could you love someone who cheated on you?"

I stare at him.

Four is right. I may not love Uriah anymore, but that doesn't mean that the feeling of being cheated on doesn't hurt. Maybe I never loved Uriah as a girl should love a boy, but finding out that boy, whom I've known almost my entire life, has been betraying me, hurts. It hurts badly. I haven't admitted that to anybody because I know I have to get over it. It's already been some time and I don't want to feel resentment for the rest of my life. Actually, I think that's why I agreed to date Uriah again – to prove to everyone that I wasn't hurt.

Four's eyes grow wide and then he looks down, embarrassed.

"Sorry, I wasn't thinking."

"It's okay. You're right, after all," I tell him quietly then add after a moment, "I'll see you at the party."

I turn to walk away from him, and I can't help but finally admit to myself the truth, that betrayal always hurts.

* * *

As soon as I open the car door, I hear the loud music coming from the Pedrad house. The music level is so high that it makes the ground shake along to its beat. My stomach growls, reminding me that I haven't eaten in at least five hours – not to mention that the last thing I ate was a miserable chicken salad.

"Their parties are all the same," Christina says with a smile while she gets out of her car holding a red-wrapped present in her hands. In the end, Christina helped me find a present for Uriah. The wrapping on my gift is orange – Uriah's favorite color – and what is inside is some kind of cologne Christina chose. I've never been good at picking out gifts for him, so most times Christina is the one who picks one for me.

"You mean the loud music?" I ask her.

"Yeah, kind of," she says and laughs. "Let's get inside."

As soon as we walk inside, I see Four flirting with Nita in a corner of the room. He is touching Nita's cheek with his hand while he smirks at her. Nita, being as stupid as she is, is looking back at him with lovey-dovey eyes. The sight makes me want to throw-up for a lot of different reasons, so I decide to look somewhere else.

The room has been decorated with a mix of birthday decor and Christmas lights. _Yeah, I don't know why they put Christmas lights up either_. But the Christmas lights make the room look cheerful, even if they are out of season. There is a small table at the center of the living room where the gifts are being placed. The presents are all different sizes and have many distinct colors and patterns of wrappings. It makes me glad to see that there isn't a present with orange wrapping yet.

Marlene and Lynn are talking in a corner. I am surprised to see that Uriah invited Marlene. Their fights haven't been nearly as bad as hers and mine, but I didn't think things between them were good enough to invite each other to their parties. Marlene has always found a way to worm her way into everything, though. It wouldn't surprise me to find out that she somehow convinced Shauna to convince Zeke to convince Uriah to invite her. She is just like that.

"Hey, there!" Zeke says, hugging me. "You finally arrived!"

"Yeah, I did," I say happily, "I didn't see you when I came in."

"It's all right," he tells me; talking so loudly I can hear him easily over the noise. "There are a lot of people. I didn't see you come in either."

"You're right," I say, looking around the room, "there _are_ a lot of people. Did Uriah invite them all?"

"I don't even know," Zeke says laughing. "There are always some who come in without an invitation. Uriah is in the kitchen with Will and Al, by the way."

"Oh, okay," I say. "I'll go and look for him." I make my best fake smile and hate myself for lying to Zeke. He nods and walks away.

Once he is out of sight, I place Uriah's present on the small table and start looking for Matthew. It's hard, since I don't even know if he's here at all. Matthew is the kind of guy that skips parties and stays at home watching movies. I wonder how he was nominated for Winter King if he isn't even that social? It's true that he seems kind and nice, and I hate to admit it, but he is also very handsome. Popularity isn't all about looks, though.

Just when I am about to give up my search, I notice the back of a guy dressed in a jade plaid shirt.

"Matthew?" I ask, and he turns around. He has his smart phone in his hands and a potato chip between his teeth. His dark hair is messier than usually, and his eyes seem shocked to see me.

"Oh, it's you," he says after he eats his potato chip and swallows it. "I thought you'd be with Uriah."

 _How am I supposed to respond to that?_

"I should be," I say, "but I am here. I was looking for you, actually." He seems surprised by my words. In fact, I am surprised at my own words too. Slowly, he puts his smart phone in the front pocket of his shirt. My heart starts beating faster, afraid of saying the wrong thing. I hate to admit to myself that I don't have any idea how to start a conversation with him.

"You were? Oh, yeah. Right. Of course, you were," he says nervously while scratching his nape. "You just told me so. Didn't you?"

I laugh a little.

"Yeah, I did," I tell him. Seeing him all nervous makes me feel a little more confident to probe more, "I just wanted to tell you that I really liked your essay. I didn't know you were such a good writer."

"Oh, well, that's because I'm not," he says sheepishly. "My partner did all the creative work. I only corrected grammar and spelling, you know."

"Oh, sorry. I really thought you had written it," I say, looking down at the laces of my combat boots. If he's not good at writing, then how could he manage to write posts that everyone can't help but read? Maybe it's Nita who writes and he just gets the information? It could be that he has nothing to do with H.S.H.G. and Nita is the gossiper? Or maybe it is Matthew, and he is just lying so that I don't suspect him?

I take a good look at him.

No, no. It can't be.

His eyes look nervous, but sincere. He's telling the truth. He isn't a good writer.

That still doesn't mean that he is not part of a group of gossipers, though.

"No worries," he says smiling and putting his hands inside his jean pockets "Y-your essay was really good too. The best in the class, probably."

I smile at his stuttering and at his compliment.

"Well, thank you, but Four helped me too," I say. "He is actually a good writer when he wants to be."

"S-So, you're like friends now?" Matthew asks, trying to hide his interest in my answer, but not succeeding. "I-I thought, I mean, I h-heard that you guys were like enemies, y-you know?"

I try not to look surprised.

"Well, yeah. We don't particularly like each other…" I say, "but I guess even he deserves to have someone acknowledge his abilities."

"Ha, well, you're right," Matthew says.

"So… when did you guys start working on your essay?" I ask him. "It was really good, so I'm guessing you started really early. Maybe since last Friday?" I'm trying to ask questions casually, like I'm just trying to make conversation rather than investigating him.

"Well, no. Last Friday I was busy with something else," Matthews says laughing. "We started working on it on Tuesday."

"Really? Four and I started ours on Monday," I lie.

"Monday?" he asks, frowning. "Two days after the info about your virginity was posted? I thought you'd still be mad at him by then."

 _How does he remember so well the day when that thing was posted?_

"Oh, I guess. I don't remember, but you seem to remember it pretty well," I suggest casually.

"It wasn't that long ago, and, _well,_ you already know I am interested in you," he says confidently. "So, of course, I'd remember when something about you was posted."

I shift, uncomfortable.

"Well, I guess you're right," I tell him. "So, what were you busy with last Friday?"

"Why should I tell you?" he asks me, smiling smugly.

I narrow my eyes at him.

"Why shouldn't you?" I shoot back.

He laughs, an honest and innocent laugh, then smiles whole-heartedly back at me.

"I'm really glad you decided to talk to me, Tris," Matthews says, still smiling. "But I think you should go and find Uriah before he starts thinking you forgot his birthday again."

My eyes go wide. _Not you too!_

"How do you know I forgot his birthday last year?" I ask, really curious how he knew.

"I've been interested in you for more than just a week, you know," he smiles at me a little too familiar for my comfort, while he leans against the wall behind him.

 _This is uncomfortable._

I realize I've been holding my breath, so I breathe out.

"Sorry…" I say a little too quickly. "You're right, I should go find Uriah."

Then I turn and walk away as fast as I can, my destination anywhere else but there. I have to use my elbows now to move forward through all the people. It feels so weird when someone likes you and you don't like him or her back. I've experienced it before with Al's not-so-subtle crush on me, but with Matthew, it's different. It was pretty awkward knowing Al liked me for years, but somehow I managed to get used to it. It wasn't that hard because Al had never tried to make a move on me, or admit that he liked me right in front of me. Matthew just told me he likes me straight forward though and I don't know how I am supposed to handle that.

I feel someone touch my shoulder and I turn around to find Four.

"How did it go?" he asks me. "Did you get some information?"

"No, I didn't," I respond. "He just told me he was _busy_ last Friday."

Four frowns.

"Why didn't you interrogate him further?" Four asks.

"I did. He wouldn't tell me," I say. "And then he said he liked me. It was so uncomfortable talking to him. I can't believe I let you talk me into it."

Four rolls his eyes.

"Well, Nita said she went home right after school, which is probably true," he sighs. "But that doesn't mean she is innocent, though."

"I found out that Matthew is a bad writer, so if he is the gossiper, he is working with someone else," I tell Four.

"So, that means Nita and Matthew are working together?" Four asks, raising his eyebrows.

"Probably," I say. "But we can't just assume that. We need proof to be able to confront them."

Four and I are starting to get squished together. With so many people dancing around us, there is no longer any space to separate us. Our toes are touching, and we are so close that I have to stretch my neck up to look at him. It is starting to hurt, actually. Every now and then our hips collide from the shoves that the dancers give us. I can't help, but be hyper-aware of each body part where there is contact.

"By the way," Four says casually, "Uriah has been looking for you."

 _Shit._ I should be with Uriah.

"For God's sake, Four!" I yell at him. "Couldn't you have told me that before? Where is he?"

"You're his girlfriend," Four says amused, "go find him yourself."

"You're such a dick," I tell him, rolling my eyes. "Get out of my way, number boy." I start to walk away, but I feel Four's hand on my shoulder again. I look back at him.

"Why are you staring at me?" he asks. "I'm just grabbing your shoulder so I don't lose you in the multitude. I'm going with you."

"I'm not that short," I say as I walk, getting some elbow-pushes from the guests.

"Yes," he tells me. "You are."

I roll my eyes and keep on walking, very conscious of the warm hand that is steadily holding my shoulder. It makes my heart race and my stomach dance. It's something between the nervousness of your first day at high school and the fear of skydiving. I don't know why I feel this way though. I don't want to even consider the possibility that it has something to do with Four

Finally, we get out of the living room and the number of people surrounding us decreases as we get closer to the kitchen. All at once, I smell alcohol, something sweet, and grilled cheese sandwiches; Uriah's favorite. Despite the other smells, the grilled cheese scent is strong and my hunger returns making my mouth water, wishing I was eating one of them now.

"Oh God, I really feel hungry," I tell Four.

"Let's go get you some food, then," he says. We walk into the kitchen to find around seven people flanking Shauna and Zeke. Most of them look like they're drunk, including Zeke. The only sober ones seem to be Shauna and Lauren. Lauren is talking to a drunken guy in the corner, probably trying to convince him that he owes her money. I finally find the silver plate filled with the glorious grilled cheese sandwiches on the table and I rush to them.

I grab one and bite into it quickly.

I close my eyes as the cheese drowns inside my mouth, and the soft bread, wet with the melted cheese, satisfies my hunger.

"I had forgotten how amazing these taste," I tell Four, still with my eyes closed, enjoying the sandwich.

"I had forgotten that aliens like you also eat," he says, chuckling.

"Shut up, Four." I say calmly, too immersed in my sandwich to mind him "I'm enjoying my sandwich."

"Tris!" I open my eyes to see a stumbling Zeke walking towards me, followed by Shauna, whose arms are crossed over her chest while she looks disapprovingly at her boyfriend.

"Hey, Zeke, what's up?" I ask him, still chewing on my food.

"Uriah has been looking for you, sis'!" He says, putting his arm around my shoulders. _Is he so drunk that he misspoken my name, or did he call me 'sis'?_ I guess I'll never know" He must be out on the patio right now." Zeke's breath smells of alcohol so I move away from him trying not to look as uncomfortable as I feel.

"Yeah, I'll go look for him," I say and finish the last bite of my sandwich.

"I'll go with you," Four says, and I nod before grabbing another sandwich.

"Bye-bye, little Tris!" Zeke says in a slurry voice while he waves, and I catch Shauna's angry glare. God only knows why she's mad at me.

Four and I get out of the kitchen and start walking to the patio. The hallway is empty, the music only slightly audible.

"What's with you today?" I ask Four while we walk to the patio. "You've been following me since we found each other in the dance/living room."

"Zeke is drunk and so is Nita. Shauna is with Zeke. I don't like hanging out with Peter or Eric, and all Will and Al talk about are nerdy things I'm not interested in," he says and then looks at me. "You're the only one left."

I smile back at him indifferently. "Glad to know I'm your last option, but aren't we supposed to pretend to hate each other?" I ask Four.

"I don't think that anyone cares about it right now," he says.

I laugh a little.

"You're probably right," I say and smile at him.

 _No, no, no. No, Tris!_ _Why are you smiling at him? Stop it, bad Tris._

My smile turns into a frown. Four opens his mouth, like he is going to ask me why I am frowning, but then we get to the patio entrance and hear people talking.

To be more specific, we hear Uriah and Marlene talking.

Four and I look at each other, obviously noticing the same thing.

The memory of hearing Marlene and Uriah talking about their betrayal on the other side of a janitor's closet door comes flying back to me and my heart aches. I see Four's worried eyes and I know that he thinks that Uriah and Marlene may be hooking up again. That would explain why Uriah decided to invite Marlene to the party. But he can't be cheating on me _again,_ right?

I am about to walk outside to interrupt them, but Four grabs my waist and pulls me to him, my back hitting him against his abdomen. I am too surprised by his actions to argue with him for not letting me interrupt those two. It's not that I love Uriah, but still, how dare he cheat on me twice?

"You don't know what they're talking about," Four whispers in my ear. "Let's listen."

I nod and he frees me from his grasp.

Suddenly, I feel cold from the loss of his touch.

"You're serious, Marlene?" I hear Uriah's irritated voice saying, "Why would I leave Tris?"

"Everyone knows she doesn't love you, Uriah!" Marlene practically yells. "Why are you with her anyway?"

"Why not?" he asks. "I didn't invite you to my party to listen to you judging me for my decisions. So stop doing it. Don't think we have something just because we used to sleep together. That's history."

So they did use to sleep together? Well, at least he just confirmed that now they aren't. But if they aren't together, why are they talking alone on the patio? Could this be one more of Marlene's tricks?

"She hasn't even come to wish you 'Happy Birthday!' yet," Marlene says.

"She's probably busy with something else," he defends me.

"Something more important than her boyfriend?" Marlene asks.

Well, I hate to admit it, but her arguments are right.

"Look, I am in no place to judge her," Uriah says. "I deserve it. I betrayed her once and I am not doing it twice. Why do you want me to leave her, anyway? I know it's not because you love me."

"Because I hate her," Marlene says outright. "Isn't that enough for you?"

"Why do you hate her so much?" I hear Uriah ask. "She has never done anything to you."

"You know the story already," Marlene says, and I can practically see her rolling her eyes.

There is a pause.

"Because of _that_?!" Uriah asks, exasperated. "Marlene, it's been _years_!"

 _Because of what?_

"So, what?" she responds. "You were the first person I liked, and Tris was the first person _you_ liked. Even in elementary school, she used to steal _everything_ from me. Even my first boyfriend!"

 _Steal everything from her? What the hell does she mean?_

"Why are you whining about it?" Uriah asks. "You didn't even like Four. You just dated him because you _thought_ Tris liked him. To me, it sounds like _you_ tried to steal from her."

 _What a bitch. So_ that's _why she dated him?_

"Well, it was my revenge," Marlene says. "I wanted her to feel as miserable as I felt when I found out you liked Tris."

 _Yep, a total bitch._

"Marlene, that was in freaking elementary school!" Uriah yells. "If anything, you should be mad at Four, for breaking up with you."

I look at Four and he blushes.

I frown in confusion. _Why is he blushing?_

"He only did so because of her!" Marlene says. "He broke up with me because he liked Tris."

Four looks away from me, confirming what Marlene just said.

My jaw drops, but when the surprise settles, I can't help but smile smugly at him as a feeling of excitement, bigger than any other, slowing begins to fill my veins and my heart starts beating faster. For some reason, knowing that Four liked me doesn't make me uncomfortable like with Matthew or Al.

Instead, it makes me feel…happy.

Four rolls his eyes at me and keeps listening.

"At least that's what he told me," Marlene continues. "The worst thing was that when I told Tris, she defended me. Why did she have to be so fucking selfless?! I wanted her to hate me, but then she _helped_ me!"

"Well, then, your revenge worked after all. Why aren't you happy?" Uriah asks her.

 _Did it?_

"Why would you say it worked?" Marlene asks curiously.

"Well, now Tris and Four will never be together," Uriah says. "She's hated him forever, even when he liked her. Therefore, he had to act like he also hated her so she didn't realize how he felt. Now they both truly hate each other. You ruined a love story that was made for the movie screen. Isn't that enough for you?"

"Well, you should be grateful, too," Marlene says. "Thanks to me, she's with you."

"Yeah, but for how long?" Uriah sighs. "Anyway, there's no way I'll leave her, so stop insisting."

"Well, you have two options," Marlene informs him.

"What are they?" Uriah asks uninterested.

"You can either break up with Tris now," Marlene begins and I can hear the smile in her voice, "or you can wait for her to leave you. Because when she finds out that Four still likes her, she's going to start liking him, too."

I turn to look at Four and my heart stops.

* * *

 **HEY THERE! The winner of the last contest is Aubreylovesthegames! *Claps* *Claps* She guessed the reason why Four broke up with Marlene in elementary school. _FOR THE NEW CONTEST_ you have to guess why is Shauna mad at Tris. _ABOUT THE GOSSIPER CONTEST_ I'm not telling you about it, yet. _FOR THE GUESTS_ , I'm really, really, _really_ sorry but you can't participate in the contest because I have no way to contact you. At least you leave an e-mail address with your review -and if you do that, is at your own risk- you can't participate.**

 **By the way, what do you think of a Divergent A.U. story where Four and Tris attend a boarding school?**

 **REVIEW.**


	19. The End?

I'm sorry this is not an update.

So long story short:

My life's been kinda crazy. The kind of crazy that doesn't let you keep writing your fan fiction story. I've had a lot of stuff in my mind, lots of drama that you probably don't care about.

I'd love to continue writing right now and give to everyone that has supported this story the chapters they deserve, but as many of you know, English is not my native language and I've lost practice in vocabulary and grammar. Also, I don't have a beta reader anymore, I think. Besides, I've forgotten most of the details in the story, and I only remember the essential parts.

That's why I'm asking you to tell me what to do.

I can publish the story again in another account and continue it from there, but I'd need some time to write, correct and find a beta-reader.

It's that, or I can tell you the ending. Not with a chapter, but in a short text that says who the gossiper is, why is/are she/he/they doing all that stuff, and what is Tris' last choice in her love life.

So I can try and continue, or end this.

It's your choice, so please leave a comment or participate in the poll I'll publish in my profile.

Thanks to everyone.


End file.
